-NRLF 


B   H   173   3bb 


•• ^ 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


GEOLOGICAL    SURVEY. 


F  I  R  S  T    REPORT 


OF    A 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSA'NCE 


OF  THE  NORTHERN  COUNTIES  OF 


MADE    DURING    THE    YEARS    1857    AND     1858, 


BY 


DAVID   DALE   OWEN, 


ASSISTED    BY 


"WILLIAM  ELDERHORST,  Chemical  Assistant; 
EDWARD   T.   COX,  Assistant  Geologist. 


LITTLE    ROCK: 

JOHNSON    &    YERKES,    STATE    PRINTERS. 
1858. 


PALEONTOLOGY  LIBRARY 

Gift  of  C.  A.  Kofokl 


QE 


INTRODUCTORY  LETTER, 


To  His  Excellency,  E.  N.  CONWAY, 

Governor  of  Arkansas: 

SIR — In  conformity  to  an  act  approved  15th  January,  1857,  entitled  "  an 
act  to  provide  for  a  geological  survey  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,"  I  had 
the  honor  of  being  appointed  by  you  State  Geologist  of  the  State  of 
Arkansas,  which  office  I  accepted  with  the  proviso  that  I  was  to  commence 
the  geological  survey  of  the  state  as  early  as  my  engagements  in  Ken- 
tucky permitted,  say  about  the  1st  of  October,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as 
possible,  it  being,  however,  expres&ly  understood  that  my  salary  as  Geolo- 
gist of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  was  not  to  commence  until  I  entered  upon 
the  duties  of  that  office,  as  will  appear  from  the  following  letter  of  your 
Excellency,  addressed  to  me  on  the  20th  April,  1857: 

EXECUTIVE  OFEICE,  \ 

Little  Rock.  Arks., 

20th  April,  1857.) 
Dr.  D.  D.  OWEN— 

Sir:  I  have  appointed  you  State  Geologist  of  the  State  of  Arkansas, 
under  the  act  of  the  15th  January,  1857,  as  shown  by  the  enclosed  com- 
mission, which  will  take  effect  from  and  after  the  1st  day  of  October,  1857; 
and  your  salary  is  to  commence  upon  your  qualification,  on  or  before  the 
15th  October,  1857,  that  is,  as  soon  as  you  shall  enter  upon  your  duties  as 
State  Geologist  of  Arkansas,  under  said  law,  and  not  before  then.  I  hope 
by  the  first  day  of  October,  you  will  have  completed  your  present  engage- 
ments in  the  State  "of  Kentucky,  and  that  you  will  accept  the  commission 
which  I  send  you  upon  the  terms  stated  in  it. 

As  a  measure  of  economy,  as  far  as  this  state  is  concerned,  I  was  pleased 


INTRODUCTORY  LETTER. 


to  learn  that  the  chemical  work  could  all  be  done  in  your  laboratory  at 
New  Harmony,  and  would  be  pleased  to  learn  what  annual  expense  this 
state  will  incur  under  such  an  arrangement,  and  for  all  instruments  which 
I  presume  you  have  and  can  use  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work,  including 
office-rent  and  fuel,  whilst  doing  the  office-work  at  New  Harmony. 

As  you  know  best  the  kind  of  wagons  and  camp  equipage  you  will 
require  to  suit  you,  I  presume  it  would  be  better  for  you  to  procure  and 
ship  them  to  Jacksonport,  Arkansas,  than  to  obtain  them  in  this  state. 
The  horses  and  mules  which  you  would  require,  could,  perhaps,  be 
obtained  in  Arkansas,  as  well  as  common  laborers. 

We  shall  have  to  be  confined  to  the  amount  of  appropriation  by  the 
law,  and  that  is  so  small  for  such  an  important  work,  we  will  have  to  use 
economy  to  accomplish  much  good,  and  I  shall  depend  greatly  on  your 
experience  and  good  management  in  the  whole  matter. 

When  you  qualify  before  an  officer  of  this  state,  you  will  have  to  take 
and  subscribe  and  have  authenticated  and  filed  with  the  governor  of 
Arkansas,  a  duplicate  of  the  official  oath  which  will  be  indorsed  on  your 
commission. 

Most  respectfully,  your  ob't  serv't, 
(Signed)  ELIAS  N.  CONWAY. 

In  conformity  with  the  above  appointment  and  instructions,  I  com- 
menced on  the  1st  October,  1857,  making  preparations  for  carrying  out 
the  provisions  of  said  act,  by  procuring  the  necessary  instruments,  outfit, 
wagons,  and  means  of  transportation,  for  executing  the  field-work  with 
as  much  dispatch  as  possible. 

By  organising  two  corps  for  field-duty,  and  continuing  the  work  as  late 
in  the  season  as  the  weather  permitted,  I  have,  with  the  limited  appropria- 
tion at  my  command,  been  enabled  to  accomplish  nearly  as  much  as  I 
could  have  done  with  a  single  corps,  during  the  summer  and  autumn 
months;  taking  into  consideration  that  the  means  at  my  disposal  would 
only  have  kept  a  single  corps  in  the  field  during  six  or  seven  months  in 
the  year. 

On  account  of  the  low  stage  of  the  Ohio  river  in  October,  1857,  the 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  packets,  plying  along  the  coast  of  Arkansas,  were 
not  running;  I  therefore  found  it  would  be  more  expeditious  to  proceed 
by  land  to  Arkansas,  especially  as  by  the  most  direct  route,  I  would  reach 
the  north-eastern  confines  of  that  state,  which  your  instructions  designated 
as  the  portion  of  the  state  where  I  should  commence  the  geological 
survey,  so  that,  as  soon  as  I  reached  the  borders  of  Arkansas,  the  work 
could  be  immediately  commenced. 


INTRODUCTORY  LETTER. 


The  point  where  I  first  entered  the  State  of  Arkansas,  and  where  I, 
therefore,  commenced  the  field-work,  was  Chalk  Bluffs,  in  Greene  county. 

The  following  report  begins,  for  this  reason,  with  that  county. 

My  geological  observations  through  the  northern  counties  have  been  of 
a  general  character,  with  the  view  of  gaining  a  knowledge  of  the  leading 
geological  formations,  rather  than  of  entering  into  minute  local  details; 
though  I  have  made  it  a  point,  at  the  same  time,  to  visit  such  localities  as 
gave  promise  of  important  discoveries,  even  though  they  were,  some- 
times, situated  a  considerable  distance  out  of  the  direct  line  of  travel 
which  would  have  suited  the  general  objects  I  had  proposed  to  myself. 

This  plan  of  commencing  the  geological  survey  of  the  state  has  been 
adopted  for  several  reasons. 

The  wording  of  section  2,  of  the  act  providing  for  the  survey,  states: 
"  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  state  geologist  to  make  a  reconnoissance  of 
the  state."  This  implies  a  general  survey  in  the  beginning;  and  this,  in 
any  case,  I  consider  the  proper  course  to  pursue  in  conducting  the  survey 
of  a  new  state;  because,  unless  the  geologist  acquires,  as  soon  as  possible, 
a  general  knowledge  of  the  areas  and  boundaries  of  the  various  forma- 
tions, he  cannot  direct  the  operations  of  the  corps  to  advantage. 

Again,  by  this  method,  every  county  can  receive  the  benefits  of  such  a 
survey,  in  a  period  of  time,  comparatively  short  to  that  required  to  carry 
a  special,  detailed  survey  over  the  state — unless,  indeed,  very  large 
appropriations  are  made,  to  put  numerous  corps  in  the  field  at  the  same 
time. 

Following  the  instructions  contained  in  your  letter,  dated  the  16th 
September,  1857,  with  regard  to  the  part  of  the  state  where  you  desired 
the  survey  to  commence,  I  have  devoted  the  first  season's  operations  to  a 
reconnoissance  of  the  northern  counties  adjacent  to  the  Missouri  line,  and 
those  counties  lying  between  the  St.  Francis  and  White  rivers,  as  far 
south  as  the  northern  boundary  of  the  tier  of  townships  10  north.  I  found 
it,  however,  impossible,  before  the  close  of  the  season,  to  extend  the 
survey  to  the  western  boundary  of  Arkansas.  The  extreme  limits  of  my 
western  obervations  of  last  December,  only  reached  the  confines  of 
Carroll  county. 


I^TTHODTJOTIOIS". 


The  citizens  of  Arkansas,  so  far  as  I  have  had  an  opportunity  of 
ascertaining  by  intercourse  with  them,  are  so  well  aware  of  the  impor- 
tance and  utility  of  a  geological  survey  of  their  state,  that  it  is  hardly 
necessary  for  me  to  enlarge  upon  the  subject.  But  a  few  remarks  of 
paramount  interest  suggest  themselves. 

It  has  been  justly  inferred,  from  the  history  of  nations,  that  the  people 
who  have  reached  the  highest  state  of  civilization  and  intelligence,  and 
who  possess  the  greatest  wealth  and  influence,  are  those  who  enjoy  the 
most  extensive  facilities  of  commercial  interchange,  who  possess  within 
themselves  the  largest  means  of  producing  the  staple  articles  of  food,  and 
who  manufacture  the  substantial  fabrics  supplying  wearing  apparel,  the 
implements  of  husbandry,  and  all  kinds  of  useful  machinery. 

To  accomplish  these  vast  objects  to  the  greatest  advantage,  the  country 
itself  should  not  only  be  possessed  of  those  natural  resources  in  soil  and 
mineral  productions,  which  supply  the  raw  material  for  all  kind  of  staples, 
but  must  be  sufficiently  populous  to  supply  the  labor  necessary  for  carry- 
ing on  those  manufactures,  without  too  great  a  drain  upon  the  agricultural 
community.  These  two  classes  of  society,  under  a  liberal  and  enlightened 
form  of  government,  become  mutually  dependent  on  each  other,  the 
one  producing  the  necessaries  of  life,  the  other  fashioning  the  implements 
which  enable  the  cultivator  of  the  soil  to  afford  his  means  of  subsistence 
at  a  cheap  rate,  and  supplying,  not  only  to  the  artizan  but  to  the  whole 
community  such  articles  of  comfort  and  convenience  as  give  to  life  its 
zest,  and  to  our  home  their  charms. 

Hence,  to  be  in  the  most  flourishing  condition,  a  country  should  not  only 
possess,  at  least,  a  fair  average  soil,  but  those  mineral  resources  which 


10  INTRQDUCTION. 


contribute  most  essentially  to  the  attainment  of  a  high  state  of  perfection 
in  the  mechanic  arts. 

Foremost  in  the  list  of  utility,  stand  coal  and  iron  ores;  then  platinum, 
gold  and  silver,  copper,  lead,  tin,  zinc:  all  producing  metals  for  which 
there  is  a  regular  and  constant  demand  in  every  land  of  active  industry; 
ores  of  antimony,  manganese,  cobalt,  nickel,  cadmium,  aluminum,  arsenic, 
bismuth,  sodium,  yielding  metals  which,  though  in  use  to  only  a  limited 
extent,  are,  many  of  them,  very  essential  in  the  arts,  and  generally  com- 
mand hi§-h  prices,  on  account  either  of  their  partial  diffusion  within  the 
reach  of  the  miner,  or  the  expense  of  reduction. 

Every  commercial  and  civilized  nation  also  demands  a  supply  of  a 
variety  of  saline  substances  and  earthy  minerals,  found  either  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth  or  interstratified  in  its  geological  formations;  such  as 
common  salt,  alum,  nitre,  carbonates  of  soda  and  potash,  sal-ammoniac, 
gypsum,  potter's  and  other  clays,  ochres,  and  other  paints;  also,  an  abun- 
dant supply  of  limestone,  and  all  the  various  rocks,  useful  as  building 
materials  and  for  all  kinds  of  ornamental  work,  hydraulic  cements,  mate- 
rials suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  glass,  fluxes  for  the  metallurgist, 
are  some  of  the  most  useful  materials  that  may  be  enumerated  as  required 
to  supply  the  wants  of  a  progressive,  commercial,  manufacturing  people: 
while  the  agriculturist,  in  his  vocation,  derives  many  valuable  mineral 
manures  from  the  strata  constituting  the  earth's  crust,  such  as  marls,  bone- 
earth,  argillaceous  and  ferruginous  earths,  and  saline  deposits  and 
efflorescences,  which  often  form  the  most  accessible,  the  cheapest  and 
most  available  materials  for  the  renovation  of  his  land. 

Such  being  universally  recognized  facts  in  the  history  of  mankind  from 
the  earliest  period  up  to  the  present  time,  is  it  not  incumbent  on  every 
country  and  every  state  of  this  Union,  to  adopt  measures  calculated,  first  to 
develop  their  resources  in  the  various  raw  materials  necessary  for  their 
welfare  and  progress,  and  having  done  so,  to  direct  public  attention  to 
their  stores  of  mineral  wealth;  so  that  the  capitalist,  seeking  profitable 
investments,  and  the  skillful  artizan  business  and  employment,  may  take 
cognizance  of  their  peculiar  advantages?  and,  at  the  same  time,  proclaim 
before  the  immigrant  farmer  their  agricultural  resources. 

What  better  method  can  a  state  adopt  for  this  purpose,  than  to  institute 
and  support  with  liberality  a  well-conducted  and  judiciously  managed 
geological  survey  of  her  territory  and  publish  the  results  to  the  world  in 
reliable,  creditable  and  attractive  geological  reports,  emanating  from 
sources  in  which  the  public  generally  have  full  confidence. 

This  is  forcibly  brought  home  to  us  by  a  recent  communication  from  our 
enlightened  Minister  to  Prussia,  writing  to  his  friend  Judge  Law  of  Indiana, 


INTRODUCTION. 


which  is  so  pertinent  to  the  subject  that  I  here  extract  a  few  paragraphs 
bearing  on  the  question: 

"  BERLIN,  February  6th,  1858." 

"  DEAR  Sm:  I  have  often  made  the  remark  to  you  and  to  our  people, 
that  there  is  less  known,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  of  Indiana,  her  capa- 
bilities and  resources,  than  of  any  state  of  the  Union.  Of  the  truth  of  this 
fact,  I  am  more  and  more  convinced.  I  am  daily  brought  in  contact  with 
men  of  intelligence  who  feel  a  great  interest  in  obtaining  information 
about  our  country,  especially  how  money  may  be  invested  there,  so  as  to 
bring  the  largest  return.  They  wish  to  learn,  what  are  the  most  desirable 
portions  for  manufactures  and  trade. 

Questions  are  often  put  to  me  about  the  mineral  resources  of  Indiana, 
and  the  surprise  expressed  that  a  state,  so  rich  in  that  respect,  has  not  taken 
pains  to  let  its  wealth  be  known  to  the  world.  A  few  have  heard  of  the 
partial  survey,  and  the  report  thereon,  made  by  Mr.  Owen,  some  years 
ago,  but  have  not  seen  it — and  I  doubt  whether  you  can  find  half  a  dozen 
copies  in  the  state,  or  even  one  in  the  state-library.  I  c*buld  distribute 
hundreds  of  those  reports,  imperfect  as  they  are,  with  great  advantage  to 
our  state. 

I  know  the  great  interest  you  take,  living  as  you  do  in  the  midst  of  the 
coal  and  iron  region  of  the  western  world,  in  the  development  of  the  min- 
eral resources  of  Indiana,  and  I  cannot  forbear  urging  upon  you  renewed 
exertions  in  this  matter.  Our  statesmen,  our  literary  men,  our  men  of 
wealth  may  come  to  Europe  and  talk  of  the  resources  of  the  country,  her 
mineral  wealth,  her  capacities  for  improvement;  but  when  the  capitalist 
and  intelligent  mechanic  desire  to  know,  where  they  shall  use  their  capital 
of  money  or  mind,  where  they  shall  establish  their  manufactories  or  locate 
their  mining  operations,  they  wish  to  sec  the  survey  and  report  of  the  man 
of  science,  who  can  tell  them  where  they  may  certainly  find  remuneration 
for  their  labor,  and  what  it  shall  be. 

To  develop  the  resources  of  a  country,  the  combined  action  of  capital 
and  labor  is  required.  Capital  and  labor  are  annually  coming  to  our 
country  from  Europe;  but  much  too  large  a  proportion  passes  directly 
through  our  state  and  finds  its  home  and  employment  in  Wisconsin,  Illi- 
nois, Iowa  and  Missouri.  If  our  state  were  better  known,  if  its  capacities 
were  published  abroad  in  a  manner  which  could  command  the  confidence 
of  the  capitalist  and  the  emigrant,  this  would  not  be  so. 

That  we  have  mineral  wealth,  we  know.  Coal,  iron,  lead,  zinc,  building 
stone  and  slate,  are  found  in  abundance,  and  clays  useful  in  the  arts  are 
extensively  distributed.  But  in  how  great  an  abundance  these  may  be 


INTRODUCTION. 


found,  and  how  profitably  the  capitalist  may  invest  his  means  for  their 
development,  can  only  be  determined  and  made  known  in  a  manner  to 
command  the  confidence  of  the  public  at  home  and  abroad,  by  a  careful 
survey  under  the  direction  of  the  state. 

The  importance  of  these  surveys  is  more  highly  appreciated  on  this  con- 
tinent than  with  us.  Here  the  necessity  of  developing  all  the  resources  of 
the  country  is  felt,  and  attention  is  given  to  the  subject.  It  is  this  develop- 
ment and  the  wealth  which  necessarily  comes  from  it,  which  enables  many 
oi  these  countries  to  maintain  their  position  and  influence  in  the  world. 
Money  judiciously  expended  in  these  investigations  yields  a  sure  return. 

In  Bavaria,  with  less  territory  than  the  state  of  Indiana,  millions  have 
been  expended  in  complete  geological  and  topographical  surveys  of  that 
country,  and  for  a  few  pennies  every  farmer  or  land-owner  can  obtain  a 
copy  of  the  survey  of  his  land,  a  chemical  analysis  of  its  soil,  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  minerals  which  enrich  it. 

In  Belgium,  they  are  excavating  coal  at  a  depth  of  1,500  to  1,800  feet 
below  the  surface,  working  veins  only  18  inchs  thick  at  an  angle  of  45  deg., 
and  this  coal,  too,  of  an  inferior  quality,  such  as  we  would  not  use,  and  in 
that  country,  notwithstanding  the  amount  already  expended,  preparations 
are  being  made  for  a  still  more  thorough  survey.  Might  not  much  capital 
thus  laboriously  expended  be  attracted  towards  our  rich  coal  fields,  were 
their  existence  and  extent  known  and  believed? 

But  it  is  not  only  in  the  discovery  and  location  of  the  mineral  resources 
of  the  state,  that  such  a  survey  would  be  advantageous.  It  would  call 
attention  to  the  fact  that  all  these  minerals  can  be  worked  and  made  into 
manufactured  articles  at  home,  instead  of  being  sent  abroad  and  returned 
to  us  at  an  advanced  price,  as  we  know  is  now  done,  not  only  with  our 
pig  iron,  zinc  and  other  metals,  but  even  with  our  walnut  and  cherry. 
Copper  is  shipped  from  Tennessee  to  England,  and  returned  to  us  in  the 
manufactured  state  at  an  advance  of  more  than  200  per  cent.  I  believe 
that  zinc  is  not  manufactured  in  any  considerable  quantities  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi valley,  and  yet  it  is  well  known  among  us,  that  it  is  found  in  great 
abundance  in  the  north-west,  equal  to  any  in  the  world.  How  profitably 
to  our  people  might  the  money  be  expended  in  manufacturing  at  home 
the  zinc  used  among  us  for  painting,  for  roofing,  telegraphing,  and  in  the 
daily  employments  of  our  mechanics.  But  this  will  not  be  until  the  atten- 
tion of  capital  is  drawn  to  our  resources. 

It  may  be  mentioned  as  a  striking  fact,  showing  the  extent  to  which  we 
look  across  the  water  for  supplies,  that  in  South  Wales  and  Staffordshire, 
England,  alone,  tin  plates  are  manufactured  to  the  amount  of  900,000 


INTRODUCTION. 


boxes  annually,  to  the  value  of  over  five  millions  of  money,  and  that  more 
than  two-thirds  of  these  are  exported  to  the  United  States. 

Such  a  survey  as  ought  to  be  made,  would  exhibit  another  thing  which 
may  soon  be  of  vital  importance  to  the  state;  a  thing  which  comes  home 
especially  to  the  farmers.  It  is  well  known  that  the  supply  of  water  is 
yearly  becoming  less  abundant.  Such  a  survey  would  show  where  arte- 
sian wells  could  be  sunk,  from  which  a  never-failing  supply  of  water 
could  be  obtained.  This  may  be  determined  by  the  scientific  man  with 
as  much  certainty  as  the  character  of  the  underlying  soil.  A  few  years 
ago,  in  Paris,  when  water  was  very  much  needed,  an  artesian  well  was 
sunk  under  the  direction  of  scientific  men,  and  water  was  found — an 
everlasting  fountain — though  it  was  after  eight  years  of  labor,  and  at  a 
depth  of  1,900  feet. 

It  is  said  that  the  French  in  conquering  Algiers,  took  with  them  men  of 
science,  and  as  they  progressed,  they  established  villages  and  sunk  arte- 
sian wells,  finding  water  even  in  the  desert.  The  wandering  Arabs 
exclaimed,  '  what  can  we  do  with  a  people  who  make  water  rise  out  of  the 
ground  wherever  they  please?'  And  they  conquered,  perhaps,  as  much  by 
the  impressions  made  by  their  scientific  knowledge,  as  by  the  force  of 
their  arms." 

Let  us  look  now  to  a  few  of  the  results  of  the  geological  survey  of 
Kentucky,  which  has  been  in  progress  since  1855. 

In  some  of  the  counties,  where  the  labors  of  the  geologist  have  estab- 
lished the  existence  of  beds  of  good  workable  coal,  the  intrinsic  value  of 
the  land  rose, in  a  single  season,  twenty-five  per  cent,  all  over  the  county; 
while  thft  value  of  the  land,  in  many  locations  of  the  same  county,  offer- 
ing peculiar  advantages  adjacent  to  navigable  streams,  rose,  in  the  course 
of  the  same  period  of  time,  from  five  to  ten  dollars  per  acre,  up  to  fifty 
and  sixty  dollars.  And  these  prices  have  remained  firm  and  permanent 
up  to  the  present  time,  showing  that  the  valuation  was  real,  intrinsic  and 
substantial. 

Where  the  simultaneous  occurrence  of  both  coal  and  abundant  beds  of 
rich  iron  ore  has  been  proved,  the  rise  in  the  value  of  the  property  has 
been  proportionally  greater.  These  are,  indeed,  direct  and  tangible 
advantages,  which  all  can  appreciate  and  comprehend,  and  which  come 
home  to  the  owners  of  property,  and  to  the  citizens  of  the  state. 

It  will  be  apparent,  that  capital  and  labor  must  speedily  flow  towards 
localities  where  such  valuable  mineral  resources  have  been  demonstrated 
to  exist. 

Further:  the  elaborate,  comparative  chemical  analyses  of  the  soils  col- 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


lected  from  various  parts  of  the  state,  now  numbering  between  two  and 
three  hundred,  have  developed  such  important,  interesting  and  practically 
useful  results,  and  thrown  so  much  insight  into  the  peculiar  constitution  of 
the  soils,  derived  from  particular  geological  formations,  and  the  individual 
members  of  these  formations,  that  all  the  well-informed  and  intelligent 
part  of  the  farming  community,  whose  soils  yet  remain  unexamined  for 
want  of  adequate  time,  is  already  calling  loudly  for  an  extension  of  the 
same  system  of  chemico-agricultural  investigation  over  their  portion  of 

the  state. 

Again,  the  iron-master,  for  want  of  a  knowledge  of  the  chemical  con- 
stitution of  ores  easily  accessible  and  conveniently  situated  to  his  furnace, 
has  often  been  rejecting  his  richest  and  best  ores,  which,  now  that  he  has 
become  aware  of  their  composition  and  productiveness,  through  the  dis- 
closures of  the  geological  survey,  he  works  with  greater  profit  and  advan- 
tage than  any  of  those  ores  previously  employed. 

Numerous  instances  have  occurred  in  which  deluded  men,  ignorant  of 
the  nature  of  minerals,  have  expended  their  labor  and  means  in  mining 
after  ores,  either  comparatively  of  little  value,  or  containing  none  of  the 
metal  they  confidently  expected  to  extract  from  them,  and  have  only  been 
persuaded  to  desist  from  their  ruinous  proceedings  by  the  demonstrations 
and  counsel  given  them  by  the  geologist. 

The  capitalist,  miner  and  business  man  have  had  their  attention  called 
to  various  parts  of  the  state,  and  are  either  examining  the  various  sections 
of  the  state  in  person,  or  sending  out  their  agents  for  the  purpose  of  mak- 
ing locations  for  future  mining  or  manufacturing  operations. 

Moreover:  it  is  incumbent  on  every  state  in  the  confederacy,  to  contri- 
bute her  utmost  to  prevent  the  enormous  drain  made  on  this  country,  at 
the  present  time,  for  manufactured  products  imported  into  this  country. 
In  the  article  of  iron,  alone,  and  that  chiefly  railroad  iron,  recent  statistics 
show  that  this  country  is  importing  upwards  of  500,000  tons,  at  a  cost  of 
over  $3,000,000  annually.  Such  a  drain  on  our  moneyed  resources — such 
a  serious  balance  of  trade  against  us — should  certainly  be  put  an  end  to 
as  speedily  as  possible;  and  this  is  only  to  be  accomplished  by  the  imme- 
diate increase  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  throughout  the  different  states 
of  the  Union. 

It  can  be  shown  by  the  most  reliable  calculations,  that  iron  can  be  pro- 
duced in  the  western  states,  where  facilities  exist  for  its  manufacture,  by 
the  simultaneous  occurrence  of  good  iron  ore  and  coal,  suitable  for  its 
reduction,  convenient  to  navigation  on  our  larger  streams,  not  only  as 
cheaply  as  in  England,  but,  in  consequence  of  the  duty  on  imported  iron, 
and  the  greater  cost  of  carriage  and  commission,  at  a  cheaper  rate  than 


INTRODUCTION.  15 


foreign  iron  can  be  delivered  in  this  country,  even  at  $15  to  $20  less  cost 
per  ton;  and  still  leave  the  handsome  profit  of  twenty-five  per  cent,  to  the 
manufacturer,  notwithstanding  the  advantages  which  Great  Britain  pos- 
sesses in  her  cheap  labor  and  in  her  capital.     If  this  is  true — and  any  one 
conversant  with  the  business  can  satisfy  himself  of  its  correctness  by 
investigating  the  subject — is  it  not  inevitable,  not  only  that  establishments 
for  the  production  of  iron  must  rapidly  spring  up  in  the  western  country, 
where,  in  a  year  or  two,  four-fifths  of  the  great  demand  for  iron  will  be, 
and  at  those  points  that  offer  the  greatest  inducements  in  the  required 
mineral  resources,  but  it  is  moreover  true,  that  the  businessman  hardly  be 
overdone;  since  the  increased  production,  for  years  to  come,  can  hardly 
keep  even  pace  with  the  annually  increased  consumption  in  railroad  iron. 
So  universally  important  is  it  to  the  interests  of  the  United  States,  that 
this  branch  of  business  should  be  cherished,  that  it  has  recently  called 
forth  remarks  from  the  executive. 

The  same  is  true,  to  a  certain  extent,  in  very  many  other  branches  of 
metallurgy,  and  applies,  indeed,  more  or  less,  to  all  manufactures. 


REPORT 


OF  A 


GEOLOGICAL  KECONNOISSANCE 


OF   PART    OF 


ARKANSAS. 


PA.RT    FIRST. 


In  proceeding  to  record  the  geological  observations  of  1857,  I  shall 
follow  nearly  my  line  of  travel  through  the  various  counties  from  the 
north-east  corner  of  the  state,  towards  the  west,  and  give  the  results  of 
my  observations  under  the  heads  of  the  different  counties  through  which 
the  geological  corps  passed. 

GREENE   COUNTY. 

9 

The  so-called  Chalk  Bluffs  form  the  extreme  north-east  boundary  of 
Crowley's  ridge,  where  it  abuts  on  the  St.  Francis  river,  a  very  short  dis- 
tance below  where  that  stream  leaves  the  State  of  Missouri  and  enters 
Arkansas,  and  constitute,  therefore,  the  north-east  termination  of  that 
extensive  ridge  of  land  which  extends  from  Helena,  on  the  Mississippi,  in 
Phillips  county,  through  St.  Francis,  Poinsett  and  Greene  counties,  divid- 
ing the  waters  of  the  St.  Francis  from  those  of  White  river,  and  giving 
origin  to  the  heads  of  the  western  tributaries  of  the  former,  and  the  east- 
ern tributaries  of  the  latter  streams. 

This  ridge,  so  far  as  it  has  yet  been  explored,  i.  e.,  to  the  north  line  of 
township  10  north,  is  composed  of,  comparatively,  very  recent  deposits, 
mostly  of  incoherent  or  but  very  partially  indurated  materials  belonging 
to  the  age  of  the  so-called  quarternary  formation,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  very  limited  areas  where  hard  quartzose  sandstones  of  very  ancient 
date  protrude  through  these  beds. 

The  base  of  the  quarternary  deposits,  forming  the  northern  terminus  of 
the  Crowley  Ridge,  is  a  potter's  clay  of  considerable  purity,  and  nearly  as 
white  as  chalk;  hence  the  name  of  the  Chalk  Bluffs,  where  this  white  clay 
is  exposed  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Francis  river,  a  few  feet  above  low 
water  of  that  stream,  in  the  north-east  extremity  of  Greene  county. 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


The  section  of  the  quarternary  beds  at  the  Chalk  Bluffs,  as  far  as  they 
can  be  seen,  is  as  follows: 


above 
river. 


135.  Hill  on  which  the  ferryman's  house  stands  ............... 

Soil  and  sub  soil  ...................................... 

Chert  and  hornstone  gravel  ............................         25 

110.    Lowest  point  to  which  the  upper  gravel  bed  could  be  traced. 
105.   Top  of  the  first  bench  below  the  main  gravel  bed  ......... 

Pink    and   variegated    sand;   locally    indurated    into   a  soft 

crumbling  sandstone  96  feet  or  more  in  thickness  ........         9G 

30.   White  siliceous  clay  shale  or  marly  earth,  slightly  indurated 
at  the  upper  part  .................................... 

6.   Fine  white  potter's  clay  5  to  6  feet  .....................  6 

0.    Low  water  of  the  St.  Francis  river. 

The  materials  which  compose  the  gravel  bed  which  underlies  the  sub- 
soil seem  to  have  been  derived  from  the  destruction  of  beds  of  carbon- 
iferous date,  lying  to  the  north  in  the  State  of  Missouri.  At  this  locality, 
it  appears  to  be  from  25  to  30  feet  in  thickness.  It  occupies  the  highest 
position  of  the  beds  of  quarternary  date  at  this  locality. 

No  solid  beds  of  rock  have  been  observed  in  this  north-east  termination 
of  Crowley's  ridge.  In  sinking  wells  at  levels  below  the  gravel  bed,  they 
pass  through  sand,  then  streaks  of  clay  and  shaly  materials,  below  which 
the  sand  continues.  In  this  lower  bed  of  sand  the  water  is  usually  struck, 
which  must  be  retained  there  by  the  lower  beds  of  clay  of  the  preceding 
section.  Sometimes,  in  low  situations,  they  pass  through  beds  of  clay  in 
digging  for  water. 

A  few  chert  and  hornstone  pebbles  were  observed  disseminated  amongst 
the  sand  at  40  feet  above  the  river,  but  the  principal  gravel  deposit  of 
this  part  of  Crowley's  ridge  is  in  high  situations  above  the  great  mass  of 
sand. 

The  growth  on  the  high  gftmnd  is  mostly  black  and  white  oak;  in  the 
bottoms,  a  mixed  growth.  Considerable  groves  of  cypress  timber  flourish 
in  the  bottoms  of  St.  Francis  river,  a  short  distance  above  Chalk  Bluffs. 

An  erratic  mass  of  hornstone,  weighing  upwards  of  50  pounds,  was 
observed  on  the  slope  of  the  river  bluff,  near  the  ferry;  and  near  by  are 
chalybeate  oozings  from  the  bank,  originating,  probably,  from  some  scaly 
oxide  of  iron,  sparingly  disseminated  in  the  adjacent  bank. 

The  potter's  clay  at  the  base  of  the  Chalk  Bluffs  is  nearly  white,  or  of  a 
cream  color;  variegated,  however,  here  and  there,  with  flesh  tints.  Its 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


texture  is  fine,  and  forms  a  plastic  mass  with  water.     Its  composition  is 
shown  by  the  following  chemical  analysis: 

Moisture    01.10    f  Silica 69.7 

Insoluble  siliceous  earth-  •  •  89.75  ^  Alumina  tinged  with  oxide  of 

Oxide   of  iron 3.86 

Lime .38 

Magnesia  ....    .33 

Potash .15 


Carbonic    acid 1.00 

Chlorine .60 

Phosphoric  acid » .075 

Water  of  hydration  (not  dri- 
ven off  at  300    deg.    F.,) 

trace  of  ammonia  and  loss  3.255 


iron 19.0 

Lime  •  •  •    .2 

Magnesia .1 

Potash    .7 

Soda .05 


89.75 


100.000 

This  clay  contains  4.79  per  cent,  less  alumina  than  the  Hickman  county 
clay  belonging  to  the  same  geological  era;  about  0-701  per  cent,  less  lime, 
and  0-34  less  alkalies.  It  will,  therefore,  make,  a  whiter  ware,  be  less 
fusible,  and  less  liable  to  crack. 

I  have  manufactured  small  crucibles  out  of  this  clay,  and  find  that  it 
produces  an  excellent  and  strong  article.  The  moulded  clay  is  not  liable 
to  crack  in  drying,  without  addition  of  silica  or  siliceous  earth,  nor  during 
the  burning;  and  the  crucibles  manufactured  therefrom  resist  sudden 
changes  of  temperature  without  cracking.  The  burnt  biscuit  ware  is  even 
rather  lighter  colored  than  the  original  clay,  which  is  of  a  very  light  cream 
color.  It  resists  fusion  at  a  high  temperature. 

Besides  being  valuable  for  the  above  purposes,  this  clay  would,  proba- 
bly, be  found  of  excellent  quality  for  modelling,  and  various  other  uses;  it 
is,  therefore,  well  worthy  the  attention  of  the  potter  and  the  artist. 

The  section  at  Chalk  Bluffs,  does  not  extend  low  enough  to  enable  the 
observer  to  see  what  underlies  this  clay;  but  from  the  position  of  beds  of 
clay  of,  apparently,  the  same  age,  found  in  other  western  and  southern 
states,  it  is  probably  intcrstratificd  amongst  the  orange  and  ferruginous 
sands,  that  are  subordinate  to  the  shell  marls,  which  constitute  the  upper 
member  of  the  quarternary;  occupying,  therefore,  the  same  geological 
horizon,  as  the  white  clays  at  the  base  of  the  section  described  in  the  first 
volume  of  the  geological  report  of  Kentucky,  on  pages  20,  21  and  22  of 
that  volume,  and  the  corresponding  clays  which,  I  understand  from  Dr.  E. 
W.  Hilgard,  geologist  of  Mississippi,  are  interstratified  in  the  "  orange 
sand,"  of  the  state  of  Mississippi;  on  this  account  it  is  probable  that  ferru- 
ginous, orange-colored  sands  occur  in  this  part  of  Arkansas  still  beneath 
this  clay;  but  concealed  from  view  under  the  drainage  of  the  country. 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


The  quaternary  beds  of  the  northern  part  of  Greene  county  afford,  lo- 
cally, a  yellow  ochre  suitable  both  for  a  pigment  and  a  dye-stuff. 

One  of  the  localities,  where  I  had  an  opportunity  of  viewing  it  in  place, 
is  about  one  mile  west  of  south  of  the  "  Pine,"  between  the  Gainsville  and 
Pocahontas  road,  near  township  21  north,  range  8,  east  of  the  5th  princi- 
pal meridian.  It  is  exposed  here  in  a  steep  bank,  near  the  bottom  of  a 
hollow  where  a  spring  branch  takes  its  rise  on  the  north  side  of  the  ridge, 
3  to  4  miles  from  Levi  Boyd's  farm.  It  lies  a  considerable  distance  under 
the  main  upper  gravel  bed  which  shows  itself  in  various  places  near  the 
top  of  this  ridge  and  beneath  underlying  beds  of  pink,  variegated,  and  fer- 
ruginous sands.  Its  original  color  at  the  bank  is  a  yellow,  but  by  exposure 
to  heat,  it  acquires  a  red  color,  in  which  condition  it  has  been  used,  by 
some  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  part  of  the  county,  as  a  dye-stuff  for  woolen 
goods. 

Its  chemical  composition  is  presented  in  the  following  analysis: 

Water  (hygrometric)  .......       2.99  f  Silica  ...................    68.64 

Insoluble^  silicates  .........       81.00^  Alumina  tinged  with    oxide 


Peroxide  of  iron 10.00 

Protoxide  of  iron .78 

Oxide  of  manganese .20 

Alumina - 1 .65 

Lime .45 


of  iron 10.00 

Lime .44 

Magnesia .18 

Potash  1.2O 

Soda ' trace 


Magnesia .14 

Potash .31                                                           80.46 

Carbonic  acid .70 

Chlorine .02 

Phosphoric  acid .14 

Sulphuric  acid trace 

Water  of  hydration,  loss,  and 

ammonia 1.70 


100.00 

This  ochre  contains  seven  and  a  half  per  cent  of  iron:  it  has  a  good 
body  and  color;  better  than  that  of  the  French  spruce  yellow,  and  could  be 
used  as  a  pigment  for  brick  woA,  and  outside  work,  even  without  washing, 
as  the  texture  is  fine,  and  there  is  very  little  grit  in  it  when  carefully 
selected.  When  burnt,  it  acquires  a  light  red  color;  this  change  appears 
to  be  due,  more  to  the  loss  of  its  water  of  hydration,  than  to  the  peroxida- 
tion  of  the  fraction  of  a  per  cent  of  protoxide  of  iron,  which  it  contains. 
For  the  purposes  of  dying,  it  it  used,  by  the  country  people,  in  its  burnt 
condition. 

At  the  "  Pine,"  near  by,  diggings  have  been  attempted  in  search  of  an 
ore,  supposed  to  contain  silver;  but  with  no  success.  The  gravel  and  sand 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


beds,  which  constitute  the  main  mass  of  the  Crowley  ridge  at  the  "  Pine," 
is  altogether  unfavorable  for  the  discovery  of  ore  of  this  description. 

A  qualitative  chemical  analysis  was  made  of  the  water  of  the  St.  Francis 
river,  in  the  north-east  part  of  Greene  county,  which  proves  it  to  be  a 
remarkably  soft  water,  containing  only  a  small  quantity  of  carbonate  of 
magnesia  and  lime,  and  a  trace  of  sulphates  and  chlorides.  It  is  remark- 
able, too,  for  the  small  proportion  of  lime  compared  with  magnesia.  In 
most  river  waters,  the  lime  is  in  much  larger  proportion  than  the  magnesia- 
The  saline' matter,  altogether,  is  in  much  smaller  quantity  than  is  usually 
found  in  our  western  rivers;  hence,  the  softness  of  the  water.  It  is  well 
adapted  for  domestic  purposes.  The  same  is  true  of  most  of  the  spring 
water  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Crowley  ridge.  The  spring  at  A.  S. 
Stewart's  was  tested,  qualitatively,  and  found  to  contain  only  a  trace  of 
lime  and  a  very  small  quantity  of  bi-carbonate  and  chloride  of  magnesia. 
It  is  almost  as  soft  as  rain  water. 

Samples  of  soils  of  the  northern  part  of  the  Crowley  ridge,  were  collected 
from  the  farm  of  W.  Raeburn,  where  the  growth  is  black-oak,  hickory, 
black  and  white  walnut,  and  large  poplar.  Also,  a  sample  of  the  genuine 
"  black  sand  land,"  from  the  flat  lands,  at  the  foot  of  the  eastern  slope  of 
the  ridge,  from  the  farm  of  H.  W.  Granada. 

The  ridge  lands,  where  these  soils  were  collected,  produce  from  40  to  50 
bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  and  20  to  30  bushels  of  wheat.  It  would,  no 
doubt,  produce  tolerably  good  crops  of  tobacco  and  cotton,  but  these  have 
not  been  raised  to  any  extent  in  this  vicinity  as  yet. 

The  black  sand  soil  is  remarkably  deep  and  rich,  and  will  yield,  on  new 
land,  80  to  100  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre.  It  produces  very  fine  vege- 
tables, and  appears  to  be  especially  congenial  to  peach  trees.  It  is  a 
quick  warm  soil,  and  stands  both  dry  and  wet  seasons  well.  The  growth 
on  this  land  is  poplar,  oak,  walnut,  and  gum,  with  an  undergrowth  of  spice 
and  papaw.  This  black-sand-land  represents  a  large  proportion  of  the 
flat  lands,  lying  between  Crowley's  ridge  and  the  Mississippi  river,  in 
Arkansas.  • 

The  south-western  part  of  township  19  north,  range  7  east,  and  the 
northern  part  of  township  18  north,  range  6  east,  support  mostly  a  growth 
of  barren  oak,  with  the  upper  quaternary  gravel  bed  generally  near  the 
surface.  In  some  of  the  deep  hoHows,  80  to  90  feet  below  the  gravel  bed, 
the  quaternary  clay  is  occasionally  recognizable;  the  intervening  deposi- 
tion of  90  to  100  feet  being  mostly  ferruginous  orange  sand,  where  it  is 
exposed  to  view,  with  perhaps  some  subordinate  interstratified  beds  of 
clay.  But  there  are  but  few  good  sections  where  the  quaternary  sand  can 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


be  satisfactorily  seen.     The  subsoil  is  generally  ferruginous.     The  surface 
of  the  country  is  undulating;  and  the  growth  almost  universally  oak. 

The  water  of  this'region  of  Arkansas  is  remarkably  pure,  especially 
that  which  comes  through  the  gravel  beds,  containing  less  earthy  salts  than 
I  have  found  in  any  spring-waters  in  the  western  country.  It  lies,  how- 
ever, often  deep,  since  it  filters  away  through  the  porous  beds  of  gravel 
and  sand  to  the  depth,  sometimes,  of  90  feet,  except  where  arrested  by 
local  beds  of  interstratified  impervious  clays  that  lie,  sometimes,  at  the 
depth  of  30  to  50  feet. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Gainesville,  some  lead  ore  has  been  picked  up, 
but  there  is  very  little  probability  that  it  is  connected  with  any  bodies  of 
this  species  of  ore,  accessible  to  the  miner,  since  such  ores  rarely,  if  ever, 
occur  in  the  loose  quaternary  deposits,  such  as  above  described  as  pre- 
vailing through  this  part  of  Greene  county.  It  is  much  more  probable 
that  they  have  either  been  brought  there,  and  deposited,  by  the  Indians  at 
some  of  their  camping  grounds,  or  been  transported  along  with  the  gravel 
from  lead  regions,  lying  to  the  north-west,  either  in  Arkansas  or  Missouri. 
A  bed  of  lignite  of  quaternary  date,  crops  out  iri  the  bed  of  the  Beech 
branch  of  Cache  river,  in  Greene  county,  near  the  crossing  of  the  Chalk 
Bluff  road,  which  runs  on  the  Cache  side  of  the  Crowley  ridge.  It  is  partly 
concealed  under  the  water.  It  is  overlaid  by  red  and  pink  ferruginous 
sand,  and  underlaid  by  clay. 

The  succession  and  superposition,  as  far  as  they  can  be  seen  for  vegeta- 
tion and  debris  concealing  the  upper  members  of  the  quaternary  beds,  on 
the  Beech  branch  at  this  lignite  locality,  are  as  follows: 

Feet. 

Upper  gravel  bed  15  to  20  or  25  feet  ............................     20 

Red,  tenacious,  ferruginous  clay  7  to  10  feet  in  thickness  ..........      10 

Second  or  lower  gravel   bed,  5  to  10  feet  thick  ...................        6 

Pink  and  variegated  sand,  with   some  disseminated   gravel,  passing 
downwards  into  reddish  white  sand,  overlying  the  lignite  bed  ......     25? 

Lignite  bed  partly  concealed,  3  to  4  feet  in  thickness  .....  .........       3? 

Some  of  the  sand  is  cemented,  by  the  infiltration  of  ferrugilious  waters, 
into  a  partially  indurated  rock. 

This  lignite  is  of  a  blackish  brown  color.  Part  of  it  exhibits  the  woody 
structure,  and  part  has  a  more  homogeneous  earthy  aspect,  and  lighter 
blackish  brown  color. 

Both  varieties  are  very  similar  in  their  character  to  the  lignites  of  the 
same  age  which  occur  in  the  quaternary  deposits  of  the  western  part  of 
Ballard  county,  Kentucky. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


The  chemical  analysis  of  this  lignite,  has  not  yet  been  undertaken,  but 
Will  be  made  hereafter.* 

Its  appearance,  however,  hardly  justifies  the  expectation  that  it  will  be 
found  sufficiently  rich  in  carbon  and  hydro-carbons,  to  be  valuable  as  a 
fuel,  even  if  the  deposit  should  prove  to  be  extensive.  Lignite  of  a  similar 
character  occurs  seven  miles  a  little  west  of  south  form  the  above  locality, 
on  the  Beech  Fork  of  Cache;  also,  one  mile  north,  two  miles  north,  and 
four  miles  south. 

If  it  be  a  continuous  bed  between  all  the  different  out-crops  known  at 
present,  it  would  occupy  an  area  of  some  seventy  square  miles,  but  this  is 
by  no  means  certain,  since  these  lignite  beds  are  often  quite  pardal  and 
local.  Future  detailed  examinations  in  Greene  county  may  throw  farther 
light  on  its  extent. 

It  is  worth}1"  of  remark,  that  there  occurs  disseminated  in  this  lignite  a 
yellow  pyrites,  which  contains  a  small  per  centage  of  copper,  the  exact 
amount  of  which  will  be  reported  on,  as  soon  as  the  chemical  analysis 
shall  be  completed. 

Two  miles  from  Gainesville,  near  Jones',  the  quaternary  sand  is  indu- 
rated into  a  soft  sandstone,  which  is  used  in  the  construction  of  chimneys. 
It  contains  impressions  of  leaves,  one  of  which  appears  to  belong  to  the 
magnolias,  and  others  to  some  species  of  water-oak,  or  willows.  When 
these  have  been  more  fully  investigated,  and  more  extensive  collections 
made  from  other  localities,  we  shall  then  be  better  able  to  report  in 
specific  detail. 

About  two-thirds  of  the  flat  Cache  lands  are  "  black  sand  lands,"  and 
one-third  post-oak  lands.  The  latter  are  too  wet  for  cultivation,  without 
a  complete  system  of  drainage.  The  highest  of  the  former  are  cultivated, 
and  are  very  productive.  Hereafter,  if  the  agricultural  department  of 
the  survey  be  provided  for,  we  hope  to  be  able  to  supply  comparative 
chemical  analyses  of  these  soils,  which  will  give  more  insight  into  their 
relative  productiveness,  than  we  are  able  to  supply  in  their  absence. 

If  the  flat  post-oak  lands  of  the  Cache  country  of  Arkansas,  could  be 
drained,  and  subsequently  cultivated  with  profit,  it  would  greatly  increase 
the  agricultural  resources  of  Greene,  Randolph,  and  Independence  counties, 
and  contribute  materially  to  the  settlement  of  this  part  of  the  state. 

Near  David  Schultz's  place,  on  the  east  or  St.  Francis  side  of  the 
Crowley  ridge, and  about  2  miles  from  the  St.  Francis  bottom,  near  the 
line  between  townships  18  and  19  north,  range  8  east,  there  is  a  deposit 
of  yellow  ochre,  similar  to  that  previously  described  as  occurring  at  the 
"  Pine,"  on  the  other  side  of  this  ridge.* 

*See  Chemical  Report. 


2(5  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

Some  of  the  geological  maps,  which  profess  to  give  approximate  boun- 
daries to  the  cretaceous  formation  of  the  United  States,  have  indicated  its 
northern  boundary  in  Arkansas,  as  running  with  a  north-easterly  course 
into  Greene  county,  passing  near  Lorado  and  Crowley.  While  in  that 
vicinity,  I  searched  for  evidence  of  the  existence  of  this  formation  above 
the  drainage  of  the  country,  as  well  as  in  the  materials  penetrated  in 
sinking  wells.  Since,  in  the  western  district  of  Tennessee,  the  member 
of  this  formation  which  reaches  the  surface,  is  a  kind  of  chalk-marl,  or 
soft  argillaceous  limestone,  known  popularly  amongst  the  inhabitants  as 
"  rotten  limestone,"  I  made  especial  enquiry  for  a  rock  of  this  description 
in  that  part  of  Greene  county.  I  was  informed  that  though  they  knew 
of  no  "rotten  limestone,"  some  of  the  neighbors  had  obtained  a  different 
kind  of  water  in  their  wells  than  that  usually  struck,  all  ranging  in  a 
north-east  and  south-west  direction,  which  they  called  "  rotten  limestone 
water."  I  was  referred  particularly  to  J.  P.  Harris'  well,  on  section  25, 
township  16  north,  range  3  east,  and  accordingly  made  a  point  of  examin- 
ing the  material  removed  from  said  well.  That  proved,  however,  to  be 
the  quaternary  shell-marl;  which,  containing  a  notable  quantity  of  lime 
and  magnesia,  imparted  a  harder  quality  to  the  water  passing  through  it, 
than  in  the  waters  of  the  neighboring  wells,  filtering  through  only  gravel 
and  sand. 

The  quaternary  marl  of  this  part  of  Greene  county,  is  of  a  light  grey 
ashy  appearance,  and  contains,  disseminated,  some  small  shells,  which 
seem  to  be  mostly  Helix  and  Planorbis,  but  the  earth  was  so  disintegrated 
that  no  perfect  specimens  could  be  obtained. 

The  composition  of  this  shell-marl,  as  will  appear  from  the  subjoined 
chemical  analysis,  is  more  siliceous  and  less  calcareous  than  the  Hickman 
county  shell-marl  of  the  same  date,  and  is,  therefore,  less  adapted  as  a 
mineral  fertilizer  of  land;  though  it  would  be  of  some  advantage  to  stiff 
clay  land,  improving  it  both  physically  and  chemically.  It  could  be 
employed,  probably,  to  advantage  in  reclaiming  the  post-oak  lands  of  the 
adjacent  flats. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


27 


Chemical  analysis  of  shell-marl,  from  T.  P.  Harris*  well,  Greene  county, 

Arkansas. 


Water  •  •  • 
Insoluble 


silicates' 


Carbonic  acid   2.7 

Peroxide   of  iron 3.6 

Alumina 2.0 

Lime 2.9 

Magnesia 1.2 

Phosphoric  acid .45 

Potash .5 

Loss .45 


^Silica 

1.3     I  Alumina  tinged  with  iron> 
84.9  <(  Lime 


Magnesia  •  • 

Potash 

Soda 

Manganese 


84.8 


100.00 

For  comparison,  is  subjoined  the  chemical  analysis  of  the  corresponding 
shell-marl  of  Hickman  county,  Kentucky: 

Water 1.35  fSilica-  • . 

Organic  matter  sol.  in  water-  .30  I  Alumina 

Insoluble   silicates 73.30«<  Lime  •  •  • 

Carbonic  acid 10.00 

Lime 6.8 

Magnesia 3.78 

Alumina  and  peroxide  of  iron  2.8 

Chlorine 

Loss,  alkalies  and  phospho-) 
ric  acid,  not  determined  •$ 


.12 


Magnesia 

Loss,  alk,  and  a  trace  of" 
oxide  of  iron  not  esti- 
mated   


60.6 

7.4 

1.1 

.4 


3.8 


73.3 


1.55 


100.00 

From  the  best  information  obtained,  the  materials  passed  through  in, 
digging  this  well,  were: 

Soil  and  sub-soil 3  feet. 

Dark-red  under-day 14      " 

Shell-marl >   29      " 

Gravel  and  white  coarse  sand,  mixed 2      " 

The  water  was  obtained  in  the  last  member,  viz:  the  white  coarse 
gravel  and  sand. 

At  James  Lamb's,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  east  ol  Harris',  the  shell- 
marl  was  struck  in  sinking  his  well  at  54  feet;  at  Henry  Cook's,  48  feet; 
and  at  Daniel  Martins'  (where  Lindley  now  lives),  water  was  obtained  at 
18  feet  in  the  shell-marl. 

Thus  I  have,  even  to  the  depth  of  54  feet  beneath  the  surface,  not  been 
able  to  obtain  the  least  evidence  of  the  existence  of  any  of  the  members 
of  the  cretaceous  formation,  as  far  north  in  the  north-eastern  part  of 
Arkansas,  as  they  have  been  laid  down  by  some  geological  map-makers; 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


who,  in  fact,  never  visited  the  country,  but  plotted  the  boundary  of  that 
formation  from  what  they  imagined  its  probable  bearings  would  be  through 
Arkansas. 

Between  Gainsville  and  Walcott,  a  distance  of  13  miles,  the  country  is 
mostly  a  succession  of  oak  and  pine  ridges,  forming  a  continuation  of 
Crowley's  ridge,  to  the  south. 

On  the  small  Colton  map  of  Arkansas,  the  Walcott  post-office  is  laid 
down  3  miles  too  far  to  the  north,  and  Crowley  5  miles  too  far  south. 

The  bluff  below  Dr.  Mellon's  house,  Walcott  post-office,  is  composed  of 
the  following  materials: 
Red  ferruginous  tenacious   clay  ...............  ..........    10  to  15  feet. 

Light-colored  sand  and  clay,  mixed  ..................    •  •  •  5     " 

Gravel,  cemented  by  oxide  of  iron  into   a  conglomerate  or 

pudding-stone  ......................................  3     " 

White,  quartzose,  fine-grained  sand,  with   streaks  of  yellow 

and  black  sand,  running  irregularly  through  it  ..........  5     " 

Indurated  sandy  shale,  with  pink  and  yellow  streaks  ......  14     " 

"  Hard  pan;"  indurated  dark-grey  shale,  with  impressions 

of  leaves  ........................................  •  •  1  foot. 

It  is  probable  that  the  post-oak  soil  of  the  Cache  fiats  is  derived  from 
the  disintegration  of  the  indurated  sandy  shale,  reposing  on  the  impervious 
"hard-pan." 

Clover  does  not  succeed  well  in  this  part  of  Greene  county;  not  even 
on  the  "  black-sand  lands."  Herd's  grass  and  timothy  do  much  better,  and 
oats  and  rye  grow  very  finely  —  especially  on  the  "  black-sand  land." 
This  variety  of  soil  seems,  also,  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of 
the  peach-tree,  which  comes  to  perfection  very  rapidly.  It  produces  both 
a  very  large  and  sweet  peach. 

Wheat  succeeds  best  on  the  ridge-land;  it  runs  too  much  to  straw  in 
the  "  black-sand  land." 

On  section  10,  township  17  north,  range  4  east,  near  Sugar  creek,  in 
Greene  county,  there  is  a  remarkable  protrusion  of  hard  quartzose  sand- 
stone through  the  quaternary  deposits.  This  sandstone  has  all  the  litho- 
logical  character  of  the  Potsdam,  or  lowest  sandstone  of  silurian  date,  as 
it  occurs  on  the  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin  rivers  in  the  north-west.  It 
forms  a  hill  of  considerable  elevation;  which,  however,  I  had  no  opportu- 
nity of  measuring,  as  I  examined  it  in  the  midst  of  that  most  severe 
thunderstorm,  accompanied  by  heavy  rain  and  high  wind,  which  occurred 
on  the  7th  of  November,  1857,  in  that  part  of  Arkansas.  I  would  estimate 
the  height,  by  the  eye,  at  100  to  110  feet  above  the  general  drainage  of 
the  country. 


OF    ARKANSAS. 


The  angle  of  dip  of  the  sandstone  is  somewhat  irregular,  varying  from 
10  deg.  to  12  deg.,  in  the  direction  a  little  east  of  north,  the  bearing  being 
nearly  coincident  with  the  direction  of  the  Crowley  ridge — i.e.:  north-east 
and  south-west. 

These  protusions  of  quartzose  sandstone  can  be  traced  for  3  miles  in  a 
south-west  direction.  At  W.  Lane's,  the  quaternary  deposits  on  the  west 
side  of  the  hard  sandstone  protrusion,  are  tilted  at  the  rate  of  12  feet  in 
20, — judging  from  the  inclined  beds  passed  through  by  him  in  digging  his 
well. 

These  strata,  passed  through,  were: 

Red,  ferruginous,  tenacious  clay .  .  .  .   20  feet. 

Gravel 5     " 

Ledges  of  sandstone • 5 

Sand  and  clay 45     " 

The  water  of  Lane's  well  was  tested,  qualitatively,  and  found  to  be 
soft,  containing  only  a  trace  of  earthy  carbonates,  and  slightly  reddening 
litmus  paper  from  the  presence  of  free  carbonic  acid. 

Though  the  protruding  sandstone  is,  as  we  have  said,  very  hard,  still  it 
can  be  quarried  without  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  in  certain  directions.  It 
will  not  stand  fire,  and,  when  heated  and  drenched  with  water,  it  crumbles 
to  sand;  proving  its  semicrystalline  structure. 

The  color  of  this  sandstone  is  mostly  of  a  light  grey  or  pale  red  tint: 
occasionally  brown.  It  is  of  so  hard  and  quartzose  a  character  that  it 
strikes  fire  at  almost  every  blow  of  the  hammer. 

One  or  more  of  the  violent  commotions  to  which  this  part  of  Arkansas 
has  been  subject,  evinced  by  the  coarseness  of  ihe  gravel  beds,  their 
thickness,  and  their  wide  distribution,  may  have  been  cotemporaneous 
with  the  elevation  of  this  sandstone. 

On  section  9,  township  15  north,  range  3  east,  close  to  William  Lane's 
house,  there  is  also  a  low  range  of  quartzose  sandstone,  probably  of  the 
same  date;  but  this  sandstone  lies  in  juxtaposition  on  the  south-west,  with 
a  softer  sandstone,  containing  impressions  of  plants,  which  is,  no  doubt, 
an  indurated  portion  of  the  quarternary  sand,  through  which  the  older, 
harder  sandstone  has  protruded,  and  bursting  it  asunder,  has  entangled 
portions  of  this  newer  sandstone  in  the  crevices  and  rents,  so  that  they 
often  appear  as  if  of  the  same  origin;  but  a  close  inspection  of  the  litho- 
logical  character  of  the  rock,  together  with  the  vegetable  remains,  will 
generally  serve  to  distinguish  them. 

Overlying  the  hard  vitreous  sandstone,  but  only  partially  covering  it  at 
this  locality,  there  is  also  a  peculiar,  fine-textured,  siliceous  rock  with  ver- 
micular or  ramose-tabular  perforations,  either  empty  or  partially  filled 


30  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

with  a  core,  and  stained  red  with  oxide  of  iron  where  these  ramify  the 
rock,  while  the  rock  itself  is  of  a  light  grey.  These  markings  have  a  good 
deal  the  appearance  of  those  found  in  the  calciferous  sandstone  of  New 
York,  and  noted  in  the  reports  of  that  state  under  the  name  of  Palaeo- 
phycus  tubularis;  but  they  are  too  indefinite  to  enable  me  to  pronounce 
positively  on  their  identity.  They  impart  to  the  rock,  however,  a 
remarkable  vermicular  structure;  and  though  they  resemble,  still  probably 
differ  from  those  impressions  of  plants  in  the  soft,  white,  quaternary  sand- 
stone of  the  same  locality. 

One  mile  below  Lane's  on  section  29,  township  15  north,  range  3  east, 
a  similar  hard  standstone  shows  itself  in  a  hollow. 

Some  lead  ore  has  been  picked  up  in  the  fields  in  the  vicinity  of  Wal- 
cott;  but  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  trace  the  localities,  invariably  on 
the  sites  of  Indian  villages,  along  with  other  relics  of  the  aborigenes,  who, 
undoubtedly,  brought  the  ore  from  the  northwest  part  of  the  state  or  from 
Missouri. 

The  growth  on  the  genuine  black-sand  lands  of  Cache  and  of  the  St. 
Francis  river  bottoms,  is  sweet  gum,  black  hickory,  walnut,  poplar,  dog- 
wood, and  occasionally  box-elder  and  hackberry;  undergrowth,  papaw, 
spice-wood,  and  large  grape  vines.  The  subsoil,  under  the  black  sand,  is 
generally  clay,  seldom  a  quicksand.  About  one-third  of  the  Cache  bottom 
is  "  post-oak  land." 

Four  sets  of  soils  were  collected  for  chemical  analysis  from  Abraham 
Tennison's  farm,  on  Crowley's  ridge,  one  mile  from  Walcott;  No.  1,  being 
the  virgin  or  uncultivated  soil;  No.  2,  the  same  soil  from  an  old  field,  35 
years  in  cultivation,  almost  exclusively  in  corn;  No.  3,  subsoil,  from  the 
same  old  field;  No.  4,  the  red  under-clay.  The  growth  on  this  land  is 
sweet-gum,  white  and  black-oak,  with  an  undergrowth  of  dog- wood. 

Should  the  chemical  analyses  of  these  hereafter  be  provided  for,  they 
will  be  reported. 

POINSETT  COUNTY. 

The  narrowest  part  of  the  Crowley  ridge,  is  not  far  from  the  line  between 
Greene  and  Poinsett,  where  it  is  hardly  half  a  mile  across  from  the  St. 
Francis  bottom  to  the  L'Anguille  bottom. 

The  L'Anguille  bottom  is  mostly  a  bluish  clay,  and  on  the  "  Crab-apple 
barrens"  a  white  clay.  The  prevalent  timber  in  L'Anguille  bottom,  is 
red  and  white-oak,  small  scattering  sweet-gum  and  post-oak  on  the  "  post- 
oak  land,"  which,  however,  is  not  cultivated  at  present.  The  growth  on 
the  adjacent  ridges  is  white  and  black-oak,  poplar,  and,  occasionally,  some 
pine;  on  the  branches,  poplar,  gum,  ash,  elm,  and  dog- wood. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  31 


There  is  a  stream  called  the  St.  Francis  bayou,  which  runs  from  Mrs. 
Stott's  farm,  nearly  parallel  with  the  Crowley  ridge,  which  is  not  laid 
down  on  the  maps  of  Arkansas.  This  stream  empties  into  the  St.  Francis 
river  in  the  northern  part  of  St.  Francis  county.  The  traces  of  earth- 
cracks  and  sandblows  are  numerous,  almost  every  where  in  the  St.  Francis 
bottom,  especially  near  the  Morell  prairie;  some  of  the  earth-cracks  are 
eight  to  ten  feet  wide  and  six  to  eight  deep.  Lignite  has  frequently  been 
thrown  out  of  these  rents  in  the  earth,  showing  that  there  must  be  a  con- 
siderable area  of  that  mineral  not  far  from  the  surface,  running  through 
the  St.  Francis  country. 

There  is  a  peculiar  soil  of  extraordinary  fertility,  occupying  part  of  the 
St.  Francis  bottom,  particularly  in  townships  8,  9,  10  and  11,  ranges  5  and 
6  east,  known  as  the  "  black  wax  land,"  which  was  formerly  overflowed 
by  the  back  water  of  the  Mississippi,  but  is  now  partly  in  cultivation. 
This  soil  will  produce  from  50  to  75  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre.  The  soil 
of  the  Morell  prairie  is  sandy,  but  is  also  good  corn  land,  yielding  40  to 
50  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  while  the  adjacent  uplands  of  the  Crowley 
ridge  produce  from  30  to  40  bushels. 

From  the  Narrows  of  the  Crowley  ridge  to  Bolivar  and  Harrisburg,  the 
new  county  seat,  the  quaternary  gravel  is  quite  conspicuous  on  the  higher 
grounds,  and  of  a  very  coarse  character;  some  pieces  would  weigh  several 
pounds.  On  Spencer  creek,  some  little  sandstone  is  seen  underlying  the 
gravel  and  resting  on  sandy  clay. 

At  Hurricane  creek,  near  Harrisburg,  the  Crowley  ridge  is  about  three 
miles  wide.  There  are  considerable  cotton  plantations  in  this  part  of 
Greene  county,  especially  at  B.  Harris'  and  Judge  Hall's,  just  at  the  edge 
of  the  L'Anguille  and  St.  Francis  bottoms. 

Some  specimens  of  amber  are  said  to  have  been  found  on  Hurricane 
creek.  As  this  is  sometimes  an  accompaniment  of  lignite,  which  occurs 
on  the  waters  of  this  creek,  it  is  not  improbable  that  such  a  mineral 
may  have  been  found,  but  probably  only  in  small,  isolated,  disseminated 
lumps. 

The  material  passed  through,  in  sinking  wells  in  the  L'Anguille  bottom, 
is  usually  20  feet  of  yellow  clay,  underlaid  by  30  to  40  feet  of  light-colored 
sand,  a  moderately  soft  water  being  generally  obtained  at  60  feet. 

Immediately  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge,  water  is  often  obtained  at  12  feet, 
the  water  gradually  getting  deeper  for  one  mile  into  the  bottom,  where  it 
is,  generally,  the  deepest  seated. 

So  far  as  I  have  yet  been  able  to  leawi,  no  rotten  limestone,  green  sand, 
or  shell  beds,  referable  to  the  cretaceous  formation,  have  ever  been  reached, 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


even  in  the  lowest  positions  and  excavations  made  in  the  northern  part 
of  Poinsett  county. 

My  observations  in  this  county  have,  as  yet,  only  extended  as  far  south 
as  the  vicinity  of  the  northern  line  of  township  10;  but  from  the  best 
information  obtained  from  Judge  Hall  and  others,  best  acquainted  with 
this  county,  it  seems  very  doubtful  whether  any  of  the  members  of  this 
formation  reach  the  surface  even  in  the  southern  part  of  Poinsett. 

In  crossing  the  Crowley  ridge  from  Benjamin  Harris'  to  Judge  Hall's, 
(a  distance  of  three  to  three  and  a  half  miles,)  gravel  is  found  mostly  in 
the  high  situations  underlaid  by  sand  and  clay.  At  the  foot  of  the  ridge, 
near  Judge  Hall's,  there  is  some  soft  sandstone,  which  is,  no  doubt,  a  local, 
partial  cementation  of  the  quaternary  sand  already  referred  to. 

Samples  of  the  cotton  soil  were  collected  for  chemical  analysis  from 
Judge  Hall's  farm;  No.  1,  being  the  virgin  soil;  No.  2,  twenty-four  years 
in  cultivation.  The  land  lies  just  at  the  foot  of  the  Crowley  ridge,  as  it 
insensibly  slopes  down  to  the  flats  of  the  St.  Francis  bottom.  This  soil 
has  a  good  deal  of  gravel  mixed  through  it. 

In  passing  from  Judge  Hall's,  up  the  eastern  edge  of  the  Crowley  ridge, 
the  same  succession  of  deposits  prevails;  the  gravel  occupying,  as  usual, 
the  higher  ground  and  being  for  the  most  part  quite  coarse. 

From  the  west  edge  of  the  Crowley  ridge,  to  the  crossing  of  Cache 
river,  by  way  of  the  Santa  Fe  post-office,  is  some  eighteen  miles.  Of  this 
about  8  miles  is  slush  land,  not  very  miry,  but  covered  more  or  less  with 
water,  with  only  dry  land  enough  for  a  few  farms  in  the  vicinity  of  Santa 
Fe  post-office,  and  a  small  tract  6  miles  from  the  crossing. 

The  best  land  of  the  Cache  bottom  for  cultivation,  is  the  sweet-gum 
land  and  red-elm,  with  an  undergrowth  of  slippery-elm  and  dog-wood. 
This  soil  is  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  the  black-sand  land  heretofore 
spoken  of,  with  narrow  strips  of  clay  land  running  here  and  therethrough 
it.  This  soil  is  best  adapted  for  corn  and  cotton. 

JACKSON    COUNTY. 

There  is  no  hill  land  proper  in  this  county;  the  whole  of  the  county 
being  level  land,  with  the  farming  lands  bordering  on  White  river  being 
elevated  only  some  6  to  8  feet  above  the  Cache  flate. 

A  sample  of  the  black  sandy  land  was  collected  for  analysis  from  land 
adjoining  Thomas  Maclerath's  farm,  3  or  4  miles  east  of  Cache  river. 
This  kind  of  soil  forms  about  one-third  or  one-fourth  of  the  Cache  bottom. 
The  other  two-thirds  are  post-oak  and  black  spice  land.  This  latter  soil 
is  very  rich  when  drained  and  reclaimed,  but,  in  its  natural  state,  is  wet 
and  miry.  It  supports  a  growth  of  large  timber,  viz:  gum,  fine  ash,  pen- 


OF  ARKANSAS.  33 


oak,  and  hackberry,  besides  the   black-spice.     This  land  lies  generally 
lower,  if  anything,  than  the  post-oak  land. 

Near  Driver's  farm,  on  the  Cache  bottom,  a  specimen  was  collected  for 
chemical  analysis,  of  the  higher  and  dryer  variety  of  oak  land  which  sup- 
ports a  growth  of  white-oak  and  gum,  with  only  a  few  post-oaks. 

The  best  farming  lands  in  Jackson  lie  between  Village  creek  and  White 
river,  occupying  a  low  ridge  rising  several  feet  above  the  adjacent  flats, 
and  elevated  about  10  feet  above  high  water  of  White  river.  It  supports 
a  growth  of  hickory,  poplar,  oak,  and  black  walnut.  It  is  on  these  lands 
where  the  principal  cotton  crops  of  Jackson  county  are  raised,  and  where 
the  wealthiest  portion  of  the  population  is  located.* 

Samples  of  this  soil  were  selected  for  chemical  analysis  from  two  differ- 
ent localities;  one  taken  from  the  vicinity  of  Jacksonport,  from  M.  L. 
Robinson's  farm,  the  other  from  H.  J.  Dowd's  farm,  14  miles  from  Jack- 
aonport. 

The  waters  of  White  river  \vere  tested  qualitatively;  the  sample 
being  taken  below  the  mouth  of  Black  river.  They  were  found  to  be  soft, 
containing  but  a  trace  of  earthy  carbonates;  as  will  be  seen  by  consult- 
ing Dr.  Elderhorst's  report. 

INDEPENDENCE    COUNTY. 

In  passing  from  Jacksonport  up  the  valley  of  White  river,  to  examine 
the  locality  of  the  so-called  "  black  marble,"  I  traversed  the  "  Oil-trough 
Bottom."  This  is  a  tract  of  very  rich  alluvial  land,  lying  on  the  south- 
west side  of  White  river,  in  the  south-east  part  of  Independence  county. 
The  fresh  soil  is  very  dark  colored,  even  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  feet  in 
some  situations;  the  sub-soil  being  nearly  as  black  as  the  soil,  but  more 
tenacious.  This  soil  is  particularly  adapted  for  wheat. 

On  S.  M.  Cobb's  farm,  where  samples  of  this  soil  were  collected  for 
future  chemical  analysis,  an  average  crop  of  wheat  is  considered  thirty 
bushels,  the  grain  weighing  64  pounds  to  the  bushel.  It  is  also  good  corn 
land,  yielding,  on  an  average,  50  bushels,  and  would,  no  doubt,  be  excel- 
lent for  tobacco. 

The  palma  christi,  or  castor  bean,  grows  here  very  large,  and  could,  in 
all  probability,  be  cultivated  to  great  advantage,  if  an  oil-press  were 
established  in  the  vicinity  for  the  expression  of  the  oil.  The  principal 
growth  of  timber  on  this  land  is  pin-oak,  red  oak  (yellow  butt),  water  oak, 

*  For  further  particulars  in  regard  to  thia  tract  of  land,  see  E.  T.  Cox's  report. 
3 


34  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

elm,  pecan,  black  walnut,  sweet-gum,  hackberry,  and  buckeye,  with  an 
undergrowth  of  very  large  papaw,  cane,  grape  vines,  and  a  little  spice- 
wood. 

Rye  flourishes  well  on  this  soil;  but  it  is  too  rich  for  cotton,  which  grows 
too  rank  and  runs  too  much  to  stalk  and  leaf.  Timothy  succeeds  well; 
clover  has  not  been  tried.  It  is,  however,  especially  adapted  for  small 
grain,  for  which,  indeed,  it  is  celebrated.  The  explanation  of  this  will, 
no  doubt,  be  found  in  a  geological  cause  which  will  hereafter  be  adverted 
to.  Since  the  wheat  does  not  freeze  out  of  this  soil,  and  the  weevil  is 
unknown  in  the  country,  the  farmers  are  most  favorably  situated  for  rais- 
ing this  grain,  and  the  natural  resources  of  the  country -would  justify  the 
erection  of  extensive  flouring  mills. 

The  water  obtained  by  digging  wells  in  the  Oil-trough  bottom  is  quite 
soft. 

The  Oil-trough  bottom  is  about  15  miles  long.  At  its  head,  the  first 
ridge  encountered  is  known  as  the  Oil-trough  ridge.  Here  I  found  the 
first  ledges  of  solid  rock  which  I  had  seen  since  leaving  Greene  county. 
These  proved  to  belong  to  the  upper  members  of  the  subcarboniferous 
limestone  formation.  At  70  feet  above  the  Oil-trough  bottom,  I  found 
one  of  the  members  of  this  formation  which  marks  most  decisively  a  most 
impartant  geological  horizon,  viz:  the  Archimedes  limestone.  This  rock 
occupies  a  position  below  the  lowest  workable  coal  throughout  the  western 
states  of  North  America.  No  exception  has  yet  been  found  to  this  geolo- 
gical axiom;  it,  therefore,  serves  as  a  sure  and  safe  guide  in  pronouncing 
as  to  the  existence  or  non-existence  of  coal  in  the  vicinity,  and  furnishes 
the  clue  to  the  geologist,  in  connection  with  the  dip  and  strike,  of  the  for- 
mations of  the  country,  in  what  direction  he  must  search  for  coal. 

The  total  height  of  the  Oil-trough  ridge  was  found  to  be  152  feet,  and 
the  following  members  of    the  upper  subcarboniferous  group  of  rocks 
were   observed   at   the   different   elevations   herewith   subjoined   in   the 
approximate  section  of  that  ridge: 
At  152  feet,  Sandstone. 

"  145     "      Third  bench  of  protruding  limestone;  exposed  for  15  feet. 

"115     "      Limestone  shale. 

"     92     "      Second  bench  of  protruding  limestone;  exposed  for  15  feet. 

"     75     "      Productal  black  limestone. 

"     70     "      Archimedes  limestone. 

56    "      First  projecting  ledge  of  limestone  seen  in  this  part  of  the 

ridge. 

The  Archimedes  limestone,  as  above  remarked,  is  the  index  to  the  dis- 
covery of  coal.     Where  the  sub-carboniferous  limestone  is  fully  developed 


OF  ARKANSAS.  35 


in  the  west,  upper  and  lower  beds  of  Archimedes  limestone  exist,  lying, 
sometimes,  more  than  fifty  feet  apart.  The  upper  Archimedes  limestone 
is  usually  found  immediately  below,  or  within  a  few  feet  of  the  bottom  of 
the  conglomerate  or  pebbly  sandstone,  which  lies  at  the  base  of  the  coal 
measures.  This  rock  being  of  very  variable  thickness,  from  a  few  feet  to 
ninety  or  one  hundred  feet  or  more,  or  even  entirely  absent,  the  space 
between  the  Archimedes  limestone  and  lowest  workable  coal  which  usu- 
ally overlies  the  conglomerate,  may  vary  from  15  to  150  feet;  but  the  first 
bed  of  workable  coal  never  underlies  this  peculiar  and  well-marked  fossil- 
iferous  limestone.  This  rule  holds  good  so  universally  throughout  the 
western  states,  viz:  Indiana,  Kentucky,  Illinois,  Tennessee,  Alabama,  and 
Missouri,  that  it  may  be  applied  with  perfect  confidence  to  Arkansas. 

The  sandstone  observed  capping  the  Oil-trough  ridge,  is  undoubtedly 
the  sandstone  occupying  the  base  of  the  coal  measures,  and  if  this  ridge 
were  25  to  50  feet  higher,  we  might  hope  to  find  workable  coal.  As  it  is, 
the  south-west  dip  of  the  strata  "which  prevails  here,  indicates  to  the 
geologist  that  he  must  look  in  that  direction  for  coal;  since  the  Archimedes 
limestone  and  overlying  sandstone,  pitching  lower  and  lower  in  that  course, 
give  room  for  the  true  coal  measures  to  come  in  on  the  hills  above  the 
drainage  of  the  country. 

We  anticipate,  therefore,  in  the  farther  prosecution  of  the  survey  to- 
wards Van  Buren  and  Searcy  counties,  to  discover  coal.  Whether  it  may 
be  thick  enough  and  of  a  good  quality,  are  questions  that  can  only  be 
answered  after  the  beds  have  been  fairly  opened  and  specimens  obtained 
for  chemical  analysis. 

The  productal  limestone,  at  75  feet,  in  the  preceding  section  of  Oil- 
trough  ridge,  is  of  a  fine  black  color,  and  is  capable  of  receiving  a  polish, 
so  that,  if  it  can  be  quarried  in  sufficiently  large  slabs,  free  from  cracks, 
imperfections  and  flaws,  it  may  be  employed  for  mantel-pieces  and  other 
ornamental  inside  work.  For  outside  work,  I  fear  it  will  be  too  liable  to 
crack  and  split  by  the  influence  of  the  sun*  and  atmospheric  agencies. 

The  great  fertility  of  the  soil  of  the  Oil-trough  bottom,  and  its  adapta- 
bility, especially  to  small  grain,  is,  no  doubt,  explained  by  the  fact  of  its 
being  bounded  on  the  north  and  west  by  these  limestone  ridges,  from 
which  it  has  received  calcareous  and  fertilizing  washings  for  ages,  impart- 
ing to  it  chemical  elements  found  in  much  smaller  proportions  in  the  soil 
east  of  White  river,  in  Jackson  county. 

I  had  again  an  opportunity  of  observing  these  members  of  the  subcar- 
boniferous  limestone,  in  connection  with  some  lower  members,  in  a  con- 

*  Some  black  bituminous  limestones  absorb  heat  so  rapidly  in  the  direct  raya  of  the  sun,  that, 
from  unequal  expansion,  they  are  very  apt  to  split  and  crack. 


36  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

spicuous  hill  of  upwards  of  500  feet,  which  forms  a  bold  headland  on  the 
south  side  of  White  river,  about  5  miles  above  Batesville,  known  aa 
11  Shield's  Bluff,"  or  White  river  mountain.  It  seems  to  be  the  most  ele- 
vated part  of  a  ridge  which  runs  off  to  the  south,  forming  a  kind  of  geo- 
logical culminating  axis  on  its  summit,  whence  the  strata  dip  both  to  the 
south-west  and  north-east. 

In  this  bluff  I  found  the  Archimedes  limestone  again,  but  in  a  much 
more  elevated  position  than  in  the  Oil-trough  ridge,  being  350  feet  above 
the  Dean  farm,  and  some  400  feet  above  White  river. 

The  total  height  of  Shields'  bluff  is  about  570  to  580  feet  above  White 
river.  The  lower  50  or  60  feet  above  the  Dean  farm  is  dark  calcareous 
shale  and  shaly  limestones;  above  which  are  some  330  to  340  feet  of  grey 
and  bluish  limestones  with  some  alternations  of  sandstone;  the  summit 
being  capped  with  from  80  to  100  feet  of  sandstone,  occupying  the  place 
of  the  millstone  grit  and  conglomerates  that  intervene  between  the  Archi- 
medes limestones  and  the  coal  measures. 

The  following  are  the  elevations  of  the  principal  members  of  the  sub- 
carboniferous  group  observed  in  Shields'  bluff  above  the  Dean  farm: 
At  520  feet,  Top  of  escarpment  of  sandstone,  capping  the  ridge. 

"  475     "      Foot  of  do. 

"  395    "      Ledge  of  sandstone. 

"  385     "      Limestone. 

"  350     "      Archimedes  limestone. 

"  345     "      Encrinital  limestone. 

"  340     "      Ledge  of  sandstone. 

"  325     "      Grey  limestone. 

"  315     "      Sandstone  (in  place?) 

"  300     "      Top  of  ledges  of  limestone. 

"  200     "      Grey  limestone. 

"  170     "      Off-set  of  hill-side  with  black  limestone. 

"  145     "      Black  limestone. 

"  120    "      3d  bench  of  limestone. 

"  100     "      2d  bench  of  limestone. 

"     55     "      1st  bench  of  limestone. 

Limestone  shales  and  shaly  limestone  at  the  foot  of  the  hill 

down  to  the  Dean  farm. 

Shield's  bluff,  where  this  approximate  section  was  obtained,  is  a  noted 
land-mark  in  Arkansas,  as  having  been  the  point  where  the  old  Cherokee 
line  commenced  at  White  river,  and  ran  south-west  along  the  dividing 
ridge,  of  which  it  forms  the  terminating  bluff  on  White  river. 

Eight  miles  south-east  of  Batesville,  on  the  north-side  of  White  river,  I 


OF  ARKANSAS.  37 


had  a  better  opportunity  of  inspecting  the  shaly  rocks  of  the  subcarbo- 
niferous  group,  than  in  Shield's  bluff,  where  they  are  too  much  concealed 
by  debris  washed  from  above.  At  this  locality,  I  found  the  following  suc- 
cession under  a  ledge  of  sandstone: 

Buff,  earthy  limestone 10  feet  thick. 

Mudstone •  •  6  inches  thick. 

Brown  shale 4     "  " 

Black   shale 3     "  " 

Limestone  in  pavement  form 2     "  " 

Brown  shale 5     "  " 

Black   shale 1     "  " 

Brown  mudstone 4     "    6  inches      " 

Black   shale 5     "  " 

Calcareous  septaria  (hydraulic) 1     "    6  inches      " 

Brown  shale 3     "  " 

Black  shale  at  base  (thickness?)  at  an  elevation  20  to  25  feet  above  the 
adjacent  bottom. 

Above  these  strata  is  apparently  mostly  sandstone,  but  much  of  it  is 
out  of  place,  having  rolled  down  from  a  former  higher  elevation;  there  is 
evidently,  however,  a  great  thickness  of  millstone  grit  in  the  upper  part 
of  the  adjoining  ridges  of  150  to  200  feet. 

Four  miles  south-east  of  Batesville,  a  great  mass  of  red  shale  crops  out, 
which  disintegrates  rapidly  to  red  clay.  This  underlies  the  above  mill- 
stone grit  rock. 

The  hills  increase  in  height  from  the  locality  where  the  preceding  sec- 
tion was  taken  towards  Batesville;  there  a  lower  mass  of  intercalated 
sandstone  rises  from  beneath  these  shales,  shaly  limestone,  and  septaria. 
The  soil  immediately  over  this  sandstone  is,  as  usual,  thin,  and  supports  a 
growth  of  stunted  oak. 

From  Miller's  creek  up  to  Batesville,  the  hills  are  from  130  to  240  feet 
in  height.  Red  shales,  running  downwards  into  brown  and  black  shales, 
with  calcareous  septaria,  occupy  the  base  of  the  hills  around  Batesville; 
these  shales  are  surmounted  by  150  to  180  feet  of  sandstone. 

The  black  shales  of  the  above  series  have  given  rise  to  expectations  for 
the  discovery  of  coal  in  their  vicinity;  but,  occupying,  as  they  do,  a  geo- 
logical position  in  the  subcarboniferous  group  entirely  below  the  millstone 
grit,  and  Archimedes  limestone,  there  is  no  prospect  of  finding  any  thing 
but  perhaps  a  few  inches  of  coal  associated  with  these  shales,  which  can 
be  of  no  practical  value. 

Between  Batesville  and  the  "  Big  Spring,"  there  are  high  ridges  elevated 
about  450  feet  above  White  river,  composed  in  their  upper  part  of  both 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


compact  and  cellular  chert;  the  latter  partaking  of  the  character  of  buhr- 
stone.  This  chert  is,  in  all  probability,  of  subcarboniferous  date.  The 
surface  being  much  encumbered  with  blocks  and  protruding  masses  of 
these  siliceous  rocks,  the  soil  is  necessarily  thin,  and  supports  a  growth 
almost  exclusively  of  small  oak.  Nevertheless,  the  soil  is  capable  of  pro- 
ducing much  better  than  the  forbidding  nature  of  the  rocky  surface  would 
lead  one  to  suppose. 

The  descent  from  these  chert  ridges  to  the  "  Big  Spring,"  is  about  260 
feet.  Here,  a  noble  volume  of  the  clearest  water  silently  rises  from  some 
cavernous  passage  at  the  foot  of  an  amphitheatre  of  hills  of  cherty,  sili- 
ceous limestones,  sufficient  in  quantity  to  supply  the  wants  of  a  small  grist- 
mill. Like  all  those  streams  having  a  subterranean  origin,  it  never  freezes 
in  winter.  This  Big  spring  is  quite  a  noted  locality  in  Independence 
county.  The  water-power  it  affords,  and  the  improvement  in  the  soil  of 
the  country,  watered  by  its  branches,  has  attracted  agriculturists,  who 
have  opened  several  good  farms  three  miles  south  of  the  Big  spring;  but 
north-east,  towards  the  Rocky  bayou,  the  country  is  mostly  rocky  oak-bar- 
rens, with  a  broken  surface,  where  few  settlers  have  located. 

The  cavernous  or  barren  limestone  group,  capped  with  chert,  prevails 
to  Lafferty  creek,  where  it  is  underlaid  in  many  places  by  a  very  white 
sandstone,  some  of  which  is  sufficiently  pure  to  make  glass. 

The  dip  is  irregular;  at  one  place  the  inclination  was  observed  to  be  10 
deg.  S.  W. 

I  examined  a  salt-petre  cave  situated  from  half  to  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  north-west  from  Tosches'  farm,  and  about  250  to  300  feet  up  in  a 
ridge  of  subcarboniferous  limestone.  This  cave  is  known  as  the  "  Salt- 
petre cave,"  and  is  owned  by  Col.  John  Miller. 

It  has  passages  from  200  to  300  yards  long,  and  8  to  10  feet  wide.  The 
sacks  containing  the  earth  from  this  cave  have,  unfortunately,  never  come 
to  hand,  so  that  we  cannot  report  upon  the  per  centage  of  salt-petre  it 
contains,  until  a  further  supply  is  obtained. 

At  Peter  Moser's,  on  Lafferty  creek,  the  mixture  of  the  soil,  derived,  in 
part,  from  the  cavernous  limestone,  and  in  part  from  the  white  sandstone, 
produces  excellent  oats,  and  is  capable  of  yielding  40  to  50  bushels  of  corn 
to  the  acre,  and  800  to  1000  pounds  of  raw  cotton  in  the  seed,  and  in  very 
favorable  seasons  even  as  high  as  1500  pounds. 

As  the  cotton  loses  about  two-thirds  in  cleaning  and  freeing  it  from  seed, 
the  land  may  be  said  to  yield  from  250  to  350  pounds  of  clean  ginned  cot- 
ton to  the  acre.  It  is  the  washings  from  the  adjacent  hills  of  limestone 
that  cause  the  land  to  produce  so  much  better  than  its  first  appearance, 


OF  ARKANSAS.  39 


and  stunted  trees  of  oak  and  pine  which  grow  upon  it,  would  lead  one  to 
suspect. 

The  cavernous  limestone  of  Lafferty  creek,  is  traversed  by  veins  of  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  manganese  ore.  The  most  interesting  locality  is  on  the 
west  branch  of  Lafferty  creek,  two  miles  above  its  mouth.  Here,  there 
appear  to  be  regular  veins  with  well-defined  walls,  traversing  the  caver- 
nous limestone,  containing  the  manganese  ores.  The  course  of  the 
main  vein,  with  probably  some  subordinate  cross  courses,  runs  N.  N.  W. 
and  S.  S.  E. 

I  measured  the  space  between  the  faces  of  the  walls  of  the  veins  at 
different  places  where  excavations  had  been  made  for  the  ore,  and  found 
them  to  vary  from  14  feet  9  inches  to  8^  feet.  These  ran  down  through 
an  encrinital  bed  of  limestone,  which  is  elevated  about  200  feet  above  the 
mouth  of  Lafferty  creek. 

The  masses  of  manganese  ore  taken  out  of  these  crevices  vary  in  weight 
from  a  few  ounces  to  30  or  40  pounds.  From  the  most  productive  part  of 
the  vein  a  man  could  raise  from  300  to  400  pounds  per  day. 

Judging  from  the  specimens  taken  out,  and  which  lay  strewed  in  abund- 
ant heaps  on  the  hill-side  near  the  crevices,  there  appear  to  be  two  varie- 
ties of  manganese  ore  obtained  at  these  mines,  in  the  depth  to  which  the 
superficial  and  partial  mining  operations  have  yet  been  carried;  one  a 
compact,  close-textured  ore  of  a  dark  steel-grey  color,  and  a  hardness  of 
about  5-j  to  6,  having  the  physical  aspect  of  that  variety  of  compact 
manganese  ore  described  in  works  on  mineralogy  under  the  name  of 
"  psilomelane,"  composed  of  mixtures  of  the  oxides  of  manganese,  with, 
usually,  some  baryta  and  potash;  but  from  a  partial  qualitative  examina- 
tion made  of  this  Lafferty  creek  manganese  ore,  it  appears  to  contain  but 
a  trace  of  baryta. 

The  other  variety  is  more  crystalline  in  its  structure,  brighter  in  its 
lustre,  and  of  a  lighter  steel-grey  color;  but  in  hardness,  streak,  and  color 
of  the  powdered  mineral  (blackish  brown),  differs  but  little  from  the 
former  more  compact  variety.* 

Whether  these  two  varieties  differ  only  from  some  admixture  of  acci- 
dental ingredients,  or  have  a  decidedly  different  atomic  proportion  of 
manganese  and  oygen,  will  appear  when  the  quantitative  chemical  analy- 
ses are  completed  and  recorded  in  the  Chemical  Report;  then  the  ques- 
tions bearing  on  the  commercial  value  of  these  ores  will  be  decided. 

So  far  as  I  can  learn,  the  company  who  own  these  mineral  lands  on 
Lafferty  creek,  in  Independence  county,  and  who  made  an  attempt  to 

*The  analysis  of  these  ores,  recorded  in  the  Chemical  Report,  proves  these  two  varieties  to  be 
essentially  of  the  same  constitution,  the  first  containing,  however,  3  or  4  more  per  cent  of  silica. 


40  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

mine  and  ship  the  ore  to  the  eastern  cities,  did  not  find  as  ready  a  sale  or 
as  high  a  price  for  their  ore  as  they  anticipated,  and  seem  to  have  sus- 
pended operations,  for  the  present,  on  this  account. 

The  explanation  of  this  want  of  success  in  this  their  first  enterprise  on 
these  manganese  ores,  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  fact,  that  the 
larger  part,  at  least,  of  the  ore  which  they  obtained,  was  of  this  hard 
variety,  affording  rather  less  than  one-third  of  its  weight  of  oxygen;  and, 
therefore,  capable  of  eliminating  only  a  proportional  quantity  of  chlo- 
rine, for  which  purpose  it  is  chiefly  valuable  in  the  arts;  while  they  raised 
little  or  none  of  the  soft  black  manganese  ore;  i.  e.  bin,  or  peroxide  of 
manganese,  known  to  mineralogists  under  the  name  of  "  pyrolusite,"  which 
is  not  only  much  easier  to  grind  to  powder,  by  reason  of  its  greater  soft- 
ness, but  contains  about  36  per  cent  of  oxygen,  and  will,  therefore,  evolve 
a  larger  proportion  of  chlorine  from  a  given  weight  of  the  ore. 

It  is  to  be  remarked,  however,  in  this  connection,  that  this  pyrolusite  or 
binoxide,  the  most  valuable  in  commerce  of  the  ores  of  manganese,  is  fre- 
quently associated,  and  even  in  alternating  layers  of  different  thickness, 
with  ores  of  compact,  grey  oxide  of  manganese,  similar  to  that  of  which 
there  is  so  great  an  abundance  on  Lafferty  creek  and  its  vicinity.  Hence, 
either  a  neglect  to  make  the  proper  selection  for  the  market  of  the  ores 
raised,  or  not  mining  sufficiently  deep  to  reach  the  best  quality  of  ore, 
may  be  assigned  as  causes  of  the  present  abandonment  of  the  mines.* 

Similar  ores  of  manganese  have  been  found  on  the  south-east  quarter  of 
section  25,  township  15  north,  range  8  west,  and  west  of  north  of  Bates- 
ville;f  besides,  at  many  other  localities  on  the  waters  of  Lafferty  creek,  in 
the  north-west  part  of  Independence  county,  so  that  if  the  owners  of  these 
mineral  lands  can  obtain,  by  a  thorough  exploration  of  the  veins,  the 
soft  black  (pyrolusite)  ore  of  manganese,  there  is  a  fair  prospect  of  reach- 
ing well  filled  veins,  which  might  return  them  a  handsome  profit. 

Associated  with  the  manganese  ores  of  Lafferty  creek,  is  some  excellent 
red  oxide  of  iron.  The  qualitative  chemical  examination,  shows  it  to  be 
nearly  pure  peroxide  of  iron,  with  but  a  very  small  per  centage  of  foreign 
matter;  the  quantiative  analysis  will,  therefore,  no  doubt,  yield  between 
65  and  70  per  cent  of  iron. 

The  lands  which  are  most  valuable  for  cultivation,  in  the  north-west 
part  of  Independence  county,  are,  first,  the  bottom  lands  supporting  a 
growth  of  walnut,  large  Spanish-oak,  ash,  and  overcup-oak,  with  an  un- 

*  By  consulting  the  chemical  report  of  Dr.  Elderhorst,  farther  information  on  the  commercial  value 
of  these  manganese  ores  will  be  obtained. 

t  See  Ed.  T.  Cox's  report  for  a  description  of  the  geological  position,  and  external  aspect  of  the 
manganese  ore,  which  occurs  three  miles  west  of  north  oi  Batesville. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


dergrowth  of  spice  and  large  grape  vines.  These  bottoms  are,  however, 
of  limited  extent.  Secondly,  the  black-oak,  hickory,  large  white-oak,  and 
dogwood  upland.  Thirdly,  the  hazlenut  and  sumach  thickets. 

The  soil  of  some  of  the  hill-sides,  on  the  slopes  of  the  cavernous  lime- 
stone, is  often  remarkably  rich,  and  could  be  cultivated  to  great  advantage, 
where  not  too  abrupt  and  not  too  much  encumbered  with  rock. 

I  examined  a  cave  situated  near  the  top  of  a  ridge  composed  of  the 
cavernous  limestone,  and  reposing  on  the  white  sandstone,  towards  the 
base  of  the  ridges.  This  cave  is  situated  between  Peter  and  Samuel 
Moser's  farms,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Independence  county.  The  entrance 
to  this  cave  is  very  low,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  enter.  It  is  only  of  limited 
extent  and  has  but  little  disintegrated  earth  distributed  through  it.  What 
little  there  is,  is  near  the  entrance  to  the  cave. 

A  sample  of  this  earth  was  collected  for  chemical  analysis,  and  will  be 
reported  on  when  this  latter  is  completed. 

A  characteristic  soil  of  the  cavernous  limestone  formation,  was  also  col- 
lected for  chemical  analysis,  from  south-east  half  of  section  25,  town- 
ship 15  north,  range  8  west,  from  Peter  Moser's  farm,  on  the  waters  of 
Latlerty  creek,  in  Independence  county.  The  growth  of  timber  on  this 
land  is  hickory,  post-oak,  white-oak,  persimmon,  and  dogwood. 

This  soil  is  said  to  produce  30  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  20  to  25 
bushels  of  oats,  and  40  to  50  bushels  of  corn.  The  soil  has  some  chert 
gravel  intermixed  with  it;  the  subsoil  is  a  dark  yellowish  clay. 

The  same  geological  formation  prevails  between  Lafferty  creek  and 
Rocky  bayou;  white  sandstone  in  the  base  of  the  ridges,  surmounted  by 
cavernous  limestone:  the  ridges  rising  from  300  to  400  feet  above  the  prin- 
cipal water  courses. 

For  farther  information  in  regard  to  the  geology  of  this  county,  consult 
the  report  of  the  assistant  geologist,  Edward  Cox. 


IZARD    COUNTY. 

Five  miles  from  Rocky  bayou,  the  white  sandstone  was  found  to  be  116 
feet  below  the  summits  of  the  ridge,  passed  over  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Izard  county. 

At  the  forks  of  the  road  leading  to  Mt.  Olive,  and  the  North  fork,  and 
7  miles  from  the  Rocky  bayou,  in  the  bed  of  a  dry  branch,  about  197  feet 
below  the  level  of  the  observation,  on  the  above  mentioned  sandstone,  is  a 
bed  of  dark-grey  compact  limestone,  charged  with  minute  cytherea,  which, 
probably,  belongs  to  the  Silurian  period.  The  adjacent  ridge,  bounding 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


the  valley  of  the  branch  on  the  north,  has  a  sandstone  near  its  summit, 
which  is  probably  the  same  sandstone  seen  in  the  base  of  the  ridges  on 
Lafferty  creek,  and  which  is  found  at  an  elevation  of  467  feet  above  low 
water  of  White  river,  at  Calico  Rock,  and  was  afterwards  traced  through 
Izard  county,  to  the  high  pine  ridge,  at  the  head  of  Sugar  Loaf  creek,  and 
which  is  usually  marked  by  a  growth  of  pine,  as  may  be  observed  in  plate 
No.  1  of  the  Sugar  Loaf  mountain  of  Izard  county,  the  site  of  that  sketch 
being  on  the  plateau  of  that  pine-bearing  sandstone. 

No  organic  remains  have  yet  been  found  in  this  sandstone,  to  indicate 
its  geological  position;  but,  taking  the  lithological  character  and  order  of 
superposition  as  a  guide,  it  will  probably  be  found  to  belong  at  the  base 
of  the  subcarboniferous  series  of  Izard  and  Marion  counties,  resting  on 
limestones,  which  belong  probably  to  the  silurian  period;  it  is,  probably, 
the  equivalent  of  the  "  Saccharoidal  standstone,"  of  the  Missouri  report, 
underlying  the  Cooper  marble  of  the  south-western  part  of  that  state. 

This  sandstone  seems  to  increase  in  thickness  to  the  north-west,  towards 
the  Lees  mountain  range. 

Two  miles  from  Calico,  this  sandstone  is  some  160  feet  in  thickness, 
with  perhaps  some  intercalated  layers  of  limestone.  Most  of  the  beds  of 
the  standstone,  in  this  part  of  Izard,  seem  to  be  white  or  of  pale  yellow 
colors,  and  soft. 

The  dip  is  irregular,  and  often  undulating,  and  conformable  to  the  gen- 
eral contour  of  the  country.  However,  the  prevalent  dip  is  to  the  south- 
west. 

The  limestones  of  this  region,  are  of  light  and  dark  grey  hues,  and  often 
singularly  weathered  into  small  furrows,  radiating  from  a  centre,  and 
often  intersected  with  veins  of  calc-spar. 

The  ridge  of  cellular  buhrstone,  which  I  passed  over,  before  descending 
to  the  North  Fork,  was  found,  by  the  aneroid  barometer,  to  be  537  feet 
above  that  river. 

Before  reaching  Athens,  the  Sugar-loaf  mountain  of  the  south-eastern 
part  of  Izard  county  is  in  view,  conspicuous  above  the  intervening  ridges. 
[See  plate  No.  1.] 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Pine  bayou,  the  cliffs  capped  with  sandstone  are 
about  200  feet. 

The  soil  of  this  part  of  Izard  county,  is  best  adapted  for  corn;  it  will 
yield  about  30  bushels  to  the  acre  of  this  grain;  15  of  wheat,  and  about 
the  same  of  oats,  and  800  pounds  of  cotton  in  the  seed.  The  season  for 
cotton  is  rather  too  short  in  this  high,  northern  part  of  Arkansas. 

The  growth  on  the  lands  above  cited  is  black-oak,  hickory,  and  some 
red-oak.  The  sample  of  this  soil  collected  for  analysis  may  be  considered 


Q 

« 

CJ 

o 


a 

CJ 


OF    ARKANSAS.  43 


an  average  of  a  large  proportion  of  that  part  of  Izard  county,  lying  north- 
east of  White  river,  and  between  that  stream  and  Strawberry  river. 

Between  Calico  and  the  North  Fork,  the  white  and  yellow  sandstone 
occupies,  for  the  first  8  miles,  a  position  towards  the  summits  of  the  ridges. 
Its  upper  layers  are  generally  coarse-grained,  and  present  glistening 
reflections.  This  sandstone  is  underlaid  by  the  cherty  limestones  which 
form  the  varigated  cliffs  on  White  river,  known  by  the  name  of  the  "Calico 
Rock."  [See  plate  No.  2.] 

Six  miles  from  Calico,  on  the  road  from  Calico  to  the  North  Fork,  the 
plateau  of  sandstone,  from  which  sketch  No.  1  was  taken,  is  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  380  to  390  feet  above  White  river. 

At  the  widow  Lafferty's  farm,  where  a  soil  \vas  collected  from  Izard 
county,  for  chemical  analysis,  the  sandstone  is  overlaid  by  limestone. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Friend's  creek,  the  sandstone  becomes  harder  and 
more  charty;  it  may  be  designated  there,  a  porous  and  cellular,  cherty 
sandstone. 

In  passing  over  the  ridges  about  Friend's  creek,  a  high  knob  is  seen  off 
towards  the  south,  known  by  the  name  of  "  Naked  Joe."  This  hill  ap- 
pears to  be  some  150  to  200  feet  higher  than  the  main  ridges  of  the  country, 
and  formed  a  conspicuous  land-mark,  in  early  times,  for  the  guidance  of 
hunters  and  explorers. 

The  country  around  Friend's  creek,  where  there  is  so  much  cellular 
chert  on  the  surface  of  the  ground,  has  much  the  aspect  of  the  iron  region 
of  south-western  Kentucky,  and  though  no  body  of  iron  ore  has  yet  been 
discovered  on  the  waters  of  this  stream,  the  detailed  survey  may,  perhaps, 
hereafter  develop  such. 

Four  miles  before  reaching  the  North  Fork,  the  ridges  at  the  same  ele- 
vation (i.e.,  380  to  390  feet)  as  the  sandstone  platform,  6  miles  from  Calico, 
are  composed  of  cellular  buhrstone  chert. 

The  summit  level,  passed  over  about  3  miles  before  reaching  the  North 
Fork,  and  where  the  descent  to  that  stream  commences,  is  about  445  feet 
above  Major  Jacob  Wolf's  house,  and  537  feet  above  the  North  Fork,  ac- 
cording to  observations  taken  with  the  aneroid  barometer. 

Beyond  the  North  Fork,  there  is  another  high  conspicuous  hill,  towering 
above  the  rest  of  the  main  ridges,  called  "  Mattener's  Knob,"  which  I  was 
told  by  Maj.  Jacob  Wolf,  was  reported  by  surveyor  Smith,  to  be  1,100  feet 
high. 

Maj.  Jacob  Wolf  reports  a  small  piece  of  ore,  found  in  digging  the 
foundation  of  a  mill,  near  the  North  Fork,  which  was  pronounced  to  be 
silver  ore  by  some  one,  who  professed  to  have  examined  it,  but  whose 
name  I  did  not  learn.  I  have  little  faith  in  silver  occurring  in  the  forma- 
tions which  prevail  along  the  North  Fork,  towards  its  confluence  with 


44  GEOLOGICAL     RECONNOISSANCE 

White  river,  unless  it  be  in  small  quantities,  associated  with  the  lead  and 
zinc  ores  of  this  country. 

The  grey  and  red  varigated  limestones,  which  will  be  hereafter  spoken 
of,  under  the  head  of  Marion  county,  occur  in  the  bluffs  of  White  river,  5 
or  6  miles  above  the  month  of  the  North  Fork,  and  a  mile  above  Big  creek; 
but  they  lie  under  a  heavy  mass  of  superincumbent  rock,  which  makes 
them  difficult  of  access. 

The  cherty  magnesian,  and  other  varieties  of  limestones,  of  which  the 
base  of  the  hills  is  composed,  and  which  form  bold  cliffs  on  the  North  Fork, 
and  at  Ware's  mill,  appear  to  be  of  silurian  date,  but  the  sandstone  chert 
and  limestones  towards  the  tops  of  the  ridges,  must  belong  to  the  subcar- 
boniferous  group,  judging  from  the  few  imperfect  fossils  found. 

J.  E.  Ware  showed  me  some  ores  of  manganese,  which  he  says  came 
from  the  bluffs  of  White  river,  below  the  mouth  of  Big  creek. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  North  Fork,  the  chert  frequently  assumes  the 
character  of  hornstone  and  agate. 

There  are  very  fine  buhr  millstone  rocks  in  the  ridges  of  the  North  Fork, 
not  far  from  Ware's  mill,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  according 
to  J.  E.  Ware;  he  also  found  small  particles  of  copper  ore  and  some  Terra 
Sienna  on  a  prong  of  Morton  creek,  on  section  17,  township  18  north,  range 
12  west;  but  though  he  has  searched  a  great  deal  for  ores,  adjacent  to  the 
surrounding  country  in  Izard,  he  never  discovered  any  deposit  or  vein  of 
copper  worth  following  by  drifts  or  adit  levels. 

Near  the  line  between  Izard  and  Marion  counties,  at  Camp  spring,  there 
is  a  bed  of  brown  ochreous  clay,  which  produces  a  color  similar  to  Terra 
Sienna.  The  bed  is  in  a  ravine,  about  6  or  8  feet  under  the  spring.  It  is 
of  various  shades  at  the  outcrop,  mostly  on  account  of  admixtures  of 
earths  washed  over  it.  Farther  in  the  bank  it  could,  probably,  be  obtained 
in  greater  purity,  and  of  deeper  and  more  uniform  tints. 

Lower  down,  on  the  same  branch,  are  extensive  beds  of  buhr  millstone 
in  "  Camp  creek  hollow,"  some  of  which  are  of  excellent  texture  and 
hardness  for  grinding  corn,  while  other  varieties  are  equally  good  for 
wheat.  This  buhrstone  lies  some  200  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ridge 
over  which  the  Yellville  road  runs,  above  the  Camp  spring. 

In  consequence  of  the  vegetation  and  debris  of  rock  concealing  the 
strata,  no  very  satisfactory  section  could  be  obtained  of  the  whole  of  the 
members  composing  the  hills  forming  the  Camp  creek  hollow;  but  the 
following  is  the  succession  from  above,  downwards,  of  those  which  can 
be  seen: 

1.  Carboniferous  limestone  and  chert. 

2.  Sandstone. 


OF   ARKANSAS.  45 


3.  Sandstone,  hard  and  quartzose. 

4.  Variegated  shales,  including  the  Terra  Sienna  earth  and  segregations 

of  hydraulic  (?)  limestone,  and  some  mudstone  shale  interstratified. 

5.  Thin-bedded,  light-grey  limestone. 

6.  Buhrstone,  6  to  8  feet  thick. 

7.  Light-colored  magnesian  limestone,  of  silurian  date? 

8.  Compact,  flinty  siliceous  rocks. 

J.  E.  Ware  is  of  opinion,  the  best  quality  of  buhrstones,  of  any  required 
dimensions,  can  be  obtained  either  in  Camp  creek  hollow  or  the  ridgea 
opposite  his  flouring  mill,  on  the  North  Fork,  equal  in  quality  to  the 
French  buhr. 

Small  particles  of  sulphuret  of  copper  have  been  picked  up  by  J.  E. 
Ware,  in  the  Camp  creek  hollow,  disseminated  sparingly  in  a  gangue  of 
calc-spar;  but  no  regular  vein  has,  as  yet,  been  detected. 


MARION    COUNTY. 

The  prevailing  rocks  of  this  county  are  varieties  of  magnesian  lime- 
stones, which  crop  out  in  terraces  and  low  cliffs  on  the  sides  of  the  hills. 

Some  sandstone  is  intercalated,  chiefly  towards  the  upper  and  lower 
part  of  the  hills.  The  upper  sandstone  is  of  variable  thickness,  from  a 
few  inches  to  50  or  60  feet.  It  appears,  in  many  places,  as  if  the  under- 
lying magnesian  limestone  had  suffered  from  irregular  denudation;  having 
been  locally  scooped  out  into  deep  hollows,  into  which  sand  was  subse- 
quently swept,  and  became,  afterwards,  indurated*  into  a  hard,  solid  rock. 

The  lower  sandstone  I  have  only  had  a  good  opportunity  of  examining, 
as  yet,  in  the  adjacent  county  of  Carroll,  on  township  20  north,  range  18 
west,  of  the  5th  principal  meridian,  where  it  has  the  hard  quartzose 
character  of  the  lowest  sandstone  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  as  it 
occurs  on  the  Minnesota,  Baraboo,  and  Wisconsin  rivers. 

The  upper  sandstone  is  generally  overlaid  by  limestones,  capable  of 
receiving  a  good  polish.  Some  of  the  beds  are  pink,  variegated  with 
white,  or  light  grey;  others,  nearly  white,  or  light  grey,  and  often  studded 
with  entrochites:  that  is,  the  disjointed  stems  of  those  singular  flower-like 
animals,  known  by  the  name  of  encrinites,  which  flourished  in  such  pro- 
fusion in  the  ancient  seas,  in  which  the  deposits  and  chemical  precipitates 
were  accumulating,  that  produced  the  so-called  silurian,  devonian,  and 
carboniferous  rocks.  These  contribute  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the 
marble  of  which  they  form  a  part;  appearing,  often,  of  different  shades  of 
color  from  the  matrix  in  which  they  are  enclosed,  and  giving  to  the  rock 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


that  variety  of  tint  so  agreeable  to  the  eye,  and  so  much  esteemed  by  the 
worker  in  marble. 

In  the  middle  and  north-west  part  of  Marion  county,  these  marble  layers 
lie  high  in  the  hills;  generally  20  to  50  feet  below  the  tops  of  the  ridges 
in  which  they  occur. 

In  the  high  Pine  ridge,  which  forms  the  water-shed  between  Sugar-loaf, 
Crooked,  George's,  and  Jennings'  creeks,  there  is  a  considerable  mass  of 
chert  capping  its  summit,  which  is,  probably,  referable  to  the  subcarbo- 
niferous  period;  judging  from  the  few  casts  of  crinoidea  observed  in  it. 
This  ridge  is,  at  least,  200  to  250  feet  higher  than  the  subordinate  ridges 
bounding  the  water  courses  of  Sugar-loaf  creek. 

The  summit  of  this  high  ridge  is  composed  of  chert  sandstone,  under- 
laid by  limestones,  dolornitic  and  calciferous  sand-rock. 

The  siliceous  soil,  in  which  the  pine  trees  nourish,  is  derived  from  the 
chert  and  sandstone,  on  which  it  is  based. 

The  above-described  marble  rocks,  which  occur  in  these  ridges,  are^ 
probably,  the  representative  of  the  so-called  "Cooper  marble,"  of  Missouri; 
which  has  been  referred  to  the  age  of  the  Onondaga  limestone  of  the  New 
York  system. 

At  present,  we  have  not  sufficient  palaeontological  evidence  to  decide 
on  its  exact  equivalency  with  rocks  of  other  states;  but  in  the  future 
progress  of  the  survey,  further  light  will,  no  doubt,  be  thrown  on  the  age 
of  these  beds,  which  intervene  between  the  subcarboniferous  and  silurian 
rocks  of  northern  Arkansas,  and  which,  on  account  of  their  economical 
value,  are  of  great  interest. 

Sufficient  evidence  has  already  been  obtained  to  establish  the  age  of 
the  300  feet  of  magnesian  limestones  and  silico-calcareous  rock,  that 
underlie  the  marble  strata,  forming  about  250  to  300  feet  of  the  lower  and 
main  body  of  the  ridges  of  Marion  county,  as  of  lower  silurian  date,  and, 
in  all  probability,  to  that  subdivision  known  as  the  calciferous  sandrock  of 
the  New  York  system.  This  is  the  lead  and  zinc-bearing  formation  of 
north-western  Arkansas. 

Sulphuret  of  lead,  or  galena,  has  been  found,  more  or  less  abundantly, 
at  numerous  localities,  both  in  Marion  and  Carroll  counties.  The  most 
noted  ones,  in  the  former  county,  are  on  the  waters  of  Sugar-loaf,  High- 
tower,  and  Jennings'  creeks.  No  regular  or  systematic  mining  operations 
have  yet  been  undertaken  in  Marion  county,  so  that  an  opinion  of  the 
exact  character  and  dimensions  of  these  mineral  deposits,  cannot  be 
formed;  they  occur,  however,  evidently,  much  in  the  same  manner  as 
those  which  were  subsequently  examined  in  the  eastern  part  of  Carroll 
county,  at  the  Coka  and  Mitchell  diggings.  One  partial  drift,  and  a  few 


OF  ARKANSAS.  47 


prospect  holes  on  township  20  north,  range  17  east,  and  township  20  north, 
range  19  east,  of  the  5th  principal  meridian,  are  all  that  has  been  done  in 
Marion  county,  near  the  head  of  Sugar-loaf  creek,  to  prove  this  lead 
region. 

The  principal  entry  on  township  20  north,  range  17  west,  on  the  lands 
of  the  New  York  company,  was  only  carried  about  8  or  10  feet  into  the 
hill-side,  with  a  width  of  about  4  feet.     Judge  Brickey,  who  superintended 
this  excavation,  informs  me  that  there  were  taken  out  of  this  drift  from 
4,500  to  5,000  pounds  of  lead  ore;  two  hands  obtained  at  the  rate  of  about 
1,000  pounds  in  two  days.     A  space  of  about  one  foot  deep,  and  three  feet 
wide,  yielded   from   100  to   150  pounds.      This  ground   was,  no  doubt, 
sufficiently  productive  to  pay  well  for  working;  but  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  this  drift  was  entirely  too  limited  to  give  a  just  idea  of  how 
productive  the  rock  might  prove,  by  regular  mining  operations;  since  it  is 
evident  from  all  that  is  at  present  known  of  this  lead  region,  that  the  ore 
occurs   irregularly  disseminated  in  "pockets,"   "sheets,"    "joints,"    and 
crevices;   the   pockets   being   cavernous   spaces    of  various   dimensions, 
occurring  only  occasionally  in  the  rock  by  local  expansions  of  the  crevice. 
When  ore  is  disseminated  in  this  manner,  it  is  always  necessary  to 
prove  the  richness  of  each  locality,  by  especial  trial  drifts  and  shafts. 
Hence,  those  owning  mineral  lands,  in  this  part  of  Arkansas,  would  do 
well,  if    they   wish  to   establish  the  value   of  their  mines,  and  induce 
smelters  to  erect  furnaces,  without  which  the  mining  business   cannot  be 
carried  on  to  any  advantage,  to  sink  shafts  and  run  drifts  a  sufficient  depth 
and  distance  to  test,  satisfactorily,  the  productiveness  of  their  mines. 

On  section  19,  township  20  north,  range  17  east  of  the  5th  principal 
meridian,  Armsted  Hudson  has  sunk  a  few  shallow  pits  on  a  hill,  east  of 
his  house,  and  west  6  deg.  to  8  deg.  south  of  the  New  York  drift.  Here 
he  discovered,  likewise,  more  or  less  lead  ore,  and,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  hollow,  to  the  west,  as  far  as  Wood's  pit,  where  lead  ore  was  reached 
at  45  feet,  then  two  and  a  half  miles  to  the  south-west,  near  Grit's  mills; 
while  the  Short  mountain  location  of  Mitchell  and  Walker,  lies  two  and  a 
half  miles  to  the  north-east. 

There  appear  to  be  two  sets  of  lead-bearing  crevices,  or  irregular  veins, 
traversing  the  magnesian  limestones  of  Marion  county;  one  set  running 
nearly  north-east  and  south-west;  the  other  east  6  deg.  to  8  deg.  north; 
but  so  little  has  yet  been  done,  even  in  the  way  of  digging  "  prospect 
holes,"  that  it  is  difficult,  at  present,  to  form  a  correct  opinion  on  this 
subject. 

Some  detached  pieces  of  lead  ore  have  also  been  discovered  at  the 
junction  of  the  magnesian  limestones  and  underlying  quartzose  sandstone, 


48 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


on  township  20  north,  range  18  east  of  the  5th  principal  meridian,  at  what 
is  known  as  McCarty's  diggings;  but  the  ore  lies  too  close  to  the  lower 
hard  sandstone  to  give  much  prospect  of  productiveness  in  this  rock.  In 
the  upper  sections  of  the  ridges,  lying  between  these  McCarty's  diggings 
and  the  New  York  location,  amongst  the  magnesian  limestones,  more  or 
less  ore  may  be  expected  to  occur;  more  especially,  since  pieces  of  "  float- 
mineral  "  have  been  found,  at  intervals,  between  the  two  locations. 

A  vein  of  galena  of  several  inches  traverses  the  limestone  forming  the 
bed  of  Jennings'  creek,  about  one-and-a-half  miles  above  the  forks  of 
that  stream,  at  what  is  known  as  the  "  Molton  or  Sewell  diggings."  Here 
the  course  of  the  vein  appears  to  be  nearly  north-west  and  south-east. 
Several  shallow  pits  have  also  been  sunken  the  adjacent  hill-side,  where, 
I  understand,  small  pieces  of  lead  ore  were  discovered.  The  rock  here, 
is  a  close-textured,  cherty  limestone,  very  irregular  in  its  fracture  and  bed- 
ding, and  is  a  member  of  the  same  formation  in  which  the  lead  ore  occurs 
on  Sugar  Loaf  creek,  but  modified  in  its  lithological  character;  since,  at 
the  latter  locality,  the  limestone  is  an  easily  decomposing  rock,  weather- 
ing and  splitting  up  like  hydraulic  limestone.  The  composition  of  this 
rock  will  be  seen  by  the  analysis  in  the  Chemical  Report. 

There  is  considerable  variety  in  the  lithological  character  of  the  differ- 
ent strata  composing  the  hills  in  the  lead  region  of  Marion  county,  on  the 
waters  of  Sugar  Loaf  creek,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  following  section, 
taken  about  half  way  between  the  Hudson  farm  and  the  head  of  Sugar 
Loaf  creek. 


It  will  be  observed  by 
the  subjoined  section,  in 
the  lead  region  of  Marion 
county,  taken  in  the  hills 
adjacent  to  the  head  of 
Sugar  Loaf  creek,  that, 
in  the  space  of  307  feet 
of  the  section,  considera- 
ble variation  is  observa- 
ble in  the  composition  of 
the  various  beds  of  which 
it  is  made  up. 

The  formation,  as  a 
whole,  is  perfectly  analo- 
gous to  the  strata  north 
of  the  Wisconsin  river, 


SECTION  OF   STRATA  OF   LOWER   SILURIAN    DATE 
IN  THE  LEAD  REGION  OF  MARION  COUNTY;  WA- 
TERS OF  SUGAR  LOAF  CREEK. 

•£ 

<D 
fe 

Inches. 

V 

<D 
fe 

Inches. 

307 

828 

CH     CH 

Space  concealed  with  fragments  of  chert, 
hornstone,  and  other  varieties  of  flinty 
siliceous  rocks. 

''hite  encrinital  marble  rock. 

Space  concealed  with  fragments  of  chert 
and  hornstone  on  the  slope- 

37 
4 

38 

CH 
CH     CH 

CH 
CH     CH 

CH 
CH     CH 

L      L      L 

CH     CH 

CH 

CH     CH 

CH 

CH    CH 

CH 

CH     CH 

OF  ARKANSAS. 


49 


SECTION  OF  MARION  COUNTY—  CONTINUED. 

"5 

OJ 

fc 

Inches. 

•8 
& 
fe 

a 

JS 

c 

193 
194 

194 

178 

169 
161 

159 
147 

139 

128 

93 

71 
67 

46 

1  «•  1 

Red  and  variegated  limestone  or  marbl 
rock. 

White    encrinital    limestone  or  marble 
rock. 

Impure  siliceous  limestone. 

Soft  coarse-grained  sandstone. 
Thin-bedded  magnesian  limestone. 

25 
19 

16 

8 

8 
1 

j 

t 

10 
11 

35 

12 

4 

21 

L      |      L 

ufjLL 

L      |      L 

1     L    1 

L      |      L 

1    I-    1 

L      |      L 

1    L    I 

SL  |   SL 
|SL| 
SL  |  SL 

|SL| 

SL  |  SL 

-\-*r\- 

S3     |     SS 

J_SS_L 

SS     |     SS 

ML      ML 

ML 

ML      ML 

J4-L 

White  fossiliferous  limestone,  clo*se-tex- 
ured,  brittle. 

Birds-eye  structured  limestone. 
Magnesian  limestone. 

Siliceous  limestone. 
Calcareous  sandstone. 

Juff,  checkered  magnesian  limestone. 

jight-colored  limestone  with  chert,  so- 
called  "  cotton  rock." 

Grey  rough-weathering  mag.  limestone. 

jight-colored  limestone  in  beds  from  6 
to  8  inches  in  thickness. 

L      j      L 

1    I-    1 

L      |      L 

1     L    | 

SL  1   SL 

3SD 

SL  |   SL 
CS   |  CS 

|cs| 

CS  |   CS 

1  csT 

ML      ML 

ML 

ML      ML 

ML 

ML      ML 

ML 

CR      CR 

CR 

CR      CR 

ML 

L      |      L 

1    I-    1 

L     |     L 

[iTf 

in  the  State  of  Wiscon- 
sin, except  that  the  beds 
of  magnesian  limestone 
are  thinner-bedded  and 
less  massive,  and  hence, 
do  not  appear  in  as  bold 
cliffs  in  Arkansas  as  on 
the  upper  Mississippi. 
The  fossils  in  the  lime- 
stone, at  an  elevation  of 
161  feet  above  Sugar 
Loaf  creek,  are,  mostly, 
casts  and  imperfect  im- 
bedded impressions,  so 
that  even  the  genera 
can  hardly  be  made  out; 
but,  so  far  as  they  are 
recognizable,  they,  as 
well  as  the  lithological 
:haracter  of  the  strata, 
indicate  the  geological 
horizon  of  these  rocks  as 
sotemporaneous  with  the 
'  lower  magnesian  lime- 
stone and  interstratified 
sandstones  "  of  northern 
Wisconsin,  the  "  calcifer- 
ous  sandrock"  of  the  New 
York  system,  and  the 
2nd  magnesian  lime- 
stone and  sandstone,  and 
3d  magnesian  limestone" 
of  the  Geological  Report 
on  south  -  western  Mia- 
ouri. 


50 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


SECTION  OF  MARION  COUNTY—  CONTINUED. 

"£ 

9 
En 

42 
31 
20 

Inches. 

"S 

o 

_fa_ 
4 
12 

11 
20 

Inches. 

ML      ML 

ML 

Bench  of  grey  magnesian  limestone. 

Thin-bedded,   light  -  colored  magnesian 
limestone. 

Bench  of  solid,  grey  magnesian  limest. 

Thin  -  bedded   magnesian  limestone,  in 
beds  of  a  few  inches  in  thickness,  ex- 
tending down  into  the  bed  of  Sugar 
Loaf  creek. 

ML      ML 

ML 
ML      ML 
ML 
ML      ML 
ML 

ML      ML 

ML 

ML      ML 

ML 

ML      ML 
ML 

ML      ML 

307 

Three  quarters  of  a  mile  south  of  the  Mitchell  farm,  the  following  sec- 
tion was  obtained  in  a  hill  known  as  "  Mitchell's  Hill:" 

Height.  . 


Thicknest. 


G 


76 
56 
26 
25 
1 

0 


f  the  loose  pieces  of  chert  and  sandstone 6 

Hard,  light-grey  magnesian  limestone,  with  occasional 
beds   of    chalcedonic   chert,   most   abundant   in   the 

lower  part 76 

Quartzose  sandstone  and  chert 10 

Magnesian  limestone 40 

Intercalated  bed  of  siliceous  magnesian  limestone 1 

Magnesian  limestone,  with  red  and  yellow  bands 15 

Slope  and  bank  extending  down  to  the  bed  of  upper 

Sugar-loaf  creek-  • 0 

Plate  3  represents  a  distant  view  of  Sugar-loaf  hill,  of  Marion,  a 
conspicuous  land-mark,  lying  in  the  eastern  part  of  Sugar-loaf  prairie. 
This  hill  is  300  feet  above  the  level  of  Sugar-loaf  creek,  near  the  Coka 
farm. 

It  is  composed  of  thin-bedded  magnesian  limestones,  overlaid  by  chert 
at  top,  and  underlaid  by  light-colored  earthy  limestone,  like  the  so-called 
"Cotton  Rock,"  of  Missouri. 

A  voluminous  spring  issues  from  the  cavernous  spaces  in  the  rocks  on 
the  east  side  of  lower  Sugar-loaf  creek,  affording  a  valuable  water-power, 
available  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  with  but  little  variation  as  to  quantity 


OF  ARKANSAS.  51 


and  temperature,  and  capable  of  supplying  a  considerable  amount  of 
machinery. 

The  high  Pine  ridge,  capped  with  subcarboniferous  chert,  resting  on 
the  sandstone  previously  mentioned,  extends  for  four  miles  between  the 
heads  of  Sugar-loaf  creek  and  those  of  George's  creek;  the  pine  being 
co-extensive  with  the  area  occupied  by  these  higher  siliceous  rocks. 

The  white  encrinital  and  marble  rock  of  this  region,  may  be  very  con- 
veniently quarried  in  a  hill  just  beyond  this  pine  ridge,  near  Wood's  mill, 
where  it  outcrops  towards  the  top  of  the  hill,  with  a  gentle  slope,  which 
affords  an  opportunity  of  quarrying  it  with  but  little  stripping.  Also  in 
some  of  the  ridges,  near  the  Hudson  farm  and  the  "  New  York  Location," 
on  the  waters  of  Sugar-loaf  creek. 

The  strata  composing  the  lower  part  of  the  hills  between  Yellville  and 
Wood's  mill,  are  chiefly  marly,  earthy  and  hydraulic-looking  calcareous 
rocks,  very  retentive  of  water,  which  flows  out  along  the  surface  of  the 
plane  of  dip  in  numerous  springs.  The  country  has  a  glady  aspect,  and 
the  roads  are  soft  and  miry,  except  where  they  run  on  the  bare  rock. 

These  strata  have  much  the  character  of  marly,  shaly  limestones, 
described  as  intervening  between  the  subcarboniferous  rocks  and  the 
strata  of  silurian  date  in  south-western  Missouri,  and  may  be  of  the  same 
age,  but,  as  yet,  we  have  no  positive  evidence  of  equivalency,  in  the 
absence  of  the  necessary  palseontological  evidence.  The  fossil  nautili 
which  have  been  found  in  chert  near  Mickersham's  mill,  about  2  miles  S. 
W.  of  Yellville,  indicate  rocks  of  the  subcarboniferous  era,  proving  the 
south-westerly  inclination  of  the  strata,  which  may  account  for  rocks  of 
devonian  (?)  and  subcarboniferous  age  being  found  here  low  in  the  hills, 
while  they  occupy  high  situations  in  the  north  and  north-eastern  part  of 
Marion  county. 

Lee's  mountain  was  found  to  be,  by  measurement  with  the  aneroid 
barometer,  350  feet  above  our  camp,  near  John  Osburn's  farms,  on  Jen- 
ning's  creek.* 

The  ascent  of  this  mountain  from  Fallen  Timber  creek,  on  the  east,  is 
very  steep.  Towards  the  summit  level  of  the  road,  there  are  alternations 
of  sandstone  amongst  the  limestone,  and  higher  up,  near  the  summit  of 
the  ridge  to  the  south,  the  marble  rock  is  in  place.  The  sandstone  below 
this  rock  must  be  much  thicker  here  than  in  the  ridges  along  Sugar-loaf 
creek,  and  the  rocks  elevated  some  fifty  feet  higher  above  the  drainage  of 
the  country  than  on  Sugar-loaf  creek. 

The  "  Molton  Diggings,"  on  Jennings'  creek,  are  a  mile  and  a  half  above 

*This  observation  was  taken  on  the  4th  of  December,  at  npon,  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy  shower  of 
rain,  and,  therefore,  may  be  liable  to  some  correction  hereafter. 


52  GEpLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

the  forks,  and  half  a  mile  below  John  Osburn's,  on  both  sides  of  the  creek. 
The  ore  has  been  found,  as  yet,  only  in  lumps  and  pockets,  except  in  one 
place,  where  some  blasting  has  been  done  in  the  limestone  forming  the 
bed  of  the  creek.  Here  the  ore  was  said  to  have  been  found  in  a  solid 
vein  of  4  to  6  inches  wide,  though  this  statement  is  not  corroborated  by 
John  Osburn.  Where  I  examined  it,  the  work  has  been  carried  for  a  few 
yards  in  a  N.  W.  and  S.  E.  course  diagonally  across  the  bed  of  the  Jen- 
nings' creek;  but  the  excavations  were,  at  the  time  of  my  exploration, 
completely  submerged,  so  that  little  opportunity  offered  for  seeing  the 
vein,  if  such^exists;  but  about  half  a  pound  of  lead  ore  was  found  dis- 
seminated in  detached  pieces  through  the  adjacent  rock.  Some  diggings 
and  prospect-holes  have  been  opened  along  the  hill-side,  in  a  north  and 
south  course,  but  these  are  too  shallow  to  enable  any  one  to  form  an  opin- 
ion as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  ore  is  disseminated  or  concerning  the 
true  course  of  the  ore-bearing-  crevice.  All  that  can  be  said  at  present  in 
regard  to  this  locality,  is  that  the  formation  is  similar  to  those  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Marion,  heretofore  described,  and  the  surface  indications  of 
ore  probably  equally  as  good  for  mining  as  in  that  part  of  the  country 
from  its  head  to  the  forks  of  the  creek. 

About  200  pounds  of  lead  ore  were  taken  out  of  one  of  the  holes  dug 
on  the  adjacent  hill-side,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  above  the  forks  of  Jen- 
nings' creek.  Considerable  lead  ore  was  found  in  lumps  and  small  frag- 
ments by  John  Osburn,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of  the  Molton 
diggings.  The  prevailing  character  of  the  rock  on  Jennings'  creek,  near 
the  forks,  is  that  of  a  close-textured,  cherty,  dark-grey  limestone,  very 
irregular  in  its  fracture  and  bedding,  and  often  fragmentary. 

Below  the  forks  of  Jennings'  creek,  the  rocks  are  mostly  rugged  ledges 
of  magnesian  and  other  varieties  of  limestone,  with  some  alternations  of 
marl  and  marly  limestones,  with  frequent  imbedded  segregations  of  chal- 
cedonic  chert. 

The  principal  Sewell  diggings  are  4  miles  below  the  Molton  diggings, 
township  19  north,  range  1G  west,  of  the  fifth  principal  meridian. 

Several  pits  and  prospect-holes  have  been  dug  here  in  search  of  ore, 
near  the  tops  of  the  ridges,  and  two  or  three  tons  of  ore  obtained.  In 
some  of  the  excavations  crevices  have  been  reached  running  in  the  mag- 
nesian limestone,  north  30  deg.  west,  and  lead  ore  is  found  attached  to 
the  wall-rock,  and  running  in  veins  of  about  an  inch  thick. 

Mr.  Sewell  undertook  to  smelt  about  4  tons  of  this  ore  in  a  rude  log 
furnace,  but  the  greatest  part  of  it  oxydized  and  ran  to  slag  and  was  lost 
amongst  the  cinders  and  ashes. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  53 


Small  quantities  of  zinc  ore  have  also  been  found  here,  associated  with 
the  lead  ore  at  the  Sewell  diggings. 

Some  sandstones  are  intercalated  with  the  magnesian  limestones  of 
this  part  of  Jennings'  creek  valley. 

The  tops  of  ridges  are  mostly  strewed  over  with  masses  of  porous  chert. 
In  some  of  the  ridges  the  red  marble  rock  is  in  place. 

The  surface  indications  of  lead  ore  are  frequent.  Mr.  McCracken, 
whose  farm  adjoins  the  Sewell  diggings,  found  a  lump  of  lead  ore,  one 
foot  below  the  surface,  in  digging  the  foundation  for  his  chimney,  and 
pieces  weighing  several  pounds  on  the  hill-sides  opposite  his  house,  on  the 
northern  side  of  Jennings'  creek.  In  the  tops  of  some  of  the  ridges,  the 
marble  rock  occurs  in  the  vicinity  of  Mr.  McCracken's,  which  appears  to 
have  generally  a  reddish  cast. 

In  the  valley  through  which  the  road  passes  up  from  Mr.  McCracken's 
to  the  Flippen  barrens,  chert  and  buhrstone  are  very  abundant,  lying  in 
large  blocks  on  the  surface  and  along  the  beds  of  the  creeks,  rendering 
the  road  very  rough  and  disagreeable  to  travel  over.  There  are  also  some 
glady  hill-sides  where  marly  and  shaly  limestones  crop  out,  like  those  men- 
tioned as  occurring  on  the  road  between  Yellville  and  Wood's  mill,  in  this 
county. 

The  bottom  lands  of  Jennings'  creek,  are  of  good  quality,  but  they  are 
narrow  and  limited  in  extent. 

The  high  grounds  at  the  Flippen  barrens  are  chiefly  composed  of  chert 
belonging  to  the  subcarboniferous  era,  as  indicated  by  the  fossils  found 
there,  both  those  collected  by  the  corps  and  those  generously  presented  by 
Mr.  William  B.  Flippen. 

Amongst  the  cliffs  adjacent  to  the  \vest  bank  of  White  river,  five  or  six 
miles  from  the  Flippen  barrens,  under  overhanging  ledges  of  magnesian 
limestones  in  the  "  Rock  House"  known  by  the  name  of  Bean's  cave,  pecu- 
liar nitre  earths  have  formed  in  large  quantities. 

At  this  locality  there  are  large  quantities  of  red  ferruginous  dry  nitre 
earth,  above  and  below  the  red  laminated  layers,  containing  nitre  salts, 
which,  if  all  converted,  by  the  usual  process  of  manufacture,  into  salt- 
petre, would  yield  about  6.2  per  cent.  The  composition  of  this  nitre 
earth,  is  shown  by  the  following  chemical  analyses,  made  both  of  the1 
whole  earth  by  digestion  with  hydrochloric  acid  and  of  the  saline  portion 
soluble  in  water,  which  extract  contains  the  nitre  salts  convertible  into 
salt-petre. 

One  sample  of  red,  ferruginous,  dry  nitre  earth  gave,  after  being  air- 
iried,  the  following  result  by  chemical  analysis: 


54  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

First.  By  treatment  with  hydrochloric  acid. 

Hygrometric  water  expelled  at  300  deg 3.15 

Silicates  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  or  nitric  acid 64.68 

Alumina 10.00 

Peroxide  of  iron 7.68 

Lime 3-65 

Magnesia 1  -50 

Potash -945 

Soda .650 

Manganese .080 

Sulphuric  acid- .360 

Phosphoric   acid .015 

Carbonic  acid .050 

Chlorine .198 

Organic  matter,  water  of  hydration  not  expelled  at  300  deg.,  and 

ammonia 2.428 

Nitric  acid  and  loss 4.614 


100.000 

The  saline  matter  extracted  by  water,  was  equal  to  7  per  cent  of  the 
whole,  and  contained  the  following  bases  and  acids: 

Alumina  tinged  with  iron 0.32 

Lime •' 0.76 

Magnesia    0.40 

Potash     0.282 

Soda • 0.068 

Chlorine 0.196 

Sulphuric  acid 0.360 

Nitric  acid 3.210 

Water  of  crystallization,  loss  and  organic  matter 1.404 


7.000 

Another  of  the  nitre  earths  formed  in  Bean's  cave,  is  a  very  regularly 
laminated  moist  earth,  variegated  with  thin  bands  of  dark  and  light  red 
of  a  very  fine  texture,  and  capable  of  being  divided  into  thin  flexible 
laminae,  like  sheets  of  dough. 

This  nitre  earth,  when  air  dried,  yielded  by  analysis  about  1.3  per 
cent  of  nitric  acid,  which  when  converted  into  nitrate  of  potash  or  salt- 
petre, by  the  usual  process  of  leaching  and  saturation,  with  carbonate  of 
potash,  or  the  ley  from  ashes,  would  give  about  2.5  per  cent  of  salt- 
petre. 


OF   ARKANSAS.  55 


The  artificial  nitre  plantations  of  France,  afford,  by  a  similar  process, 
on  an  average,  about  four  per  cent  of  salt-petre.  The  dry  nitre  earths  of 
Beans  cave,  which  are  abundant,  ought,  therefore,  to  be  profitable  to  work. 

There  is  a  very  large  amount  of  said  earths  available  at  the  cave,  par- 
ticularly of  the  laminated  variety,  as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the 
Report  of  Mr.  E.  T.  Cox,  who  was  detailed  to  survey  that  locality. 

It  will  be  observed  also  from  that  Report,  that  this  saltpetre  cave  is 
favorably  situated  for  the  transportation  of  its  saline  and  other  products  to 
market,  as  it  is  located  on  the  immediate  bank  of  White  river. 

It  is  worthy,  moreover,  of  note,  that  the  red  earthy  residuum  is  of  suf- 
ficiently fine  texture  and  contains  enough  coloring  principle,  from  the  per 
centage  of  oxide  of  iron  which  it  contains,  to  afford  a  good,  durable,  red 
ochre  paint,  having  a  good  body,  and  being  especially  well  adapted  for 
painting  brick  walls  and  outdoor  work  generally;  while  the  finer  earths 
that  remain  long  suspended  in  \vater,  afford  a  species  of  polishing  powder 
free  from  grit,  but  not  rich  enough  in  siliceous  earth,  to  be  rapid  and 
efficient  in  its  effects. 

The  magnesian  limestones  of  lower  silurian  date  of  Marion  county, 
afford,  besides  the  lead  ores  already  made  mention  of,  some  fine  zinc  ores. 

The  richest  and  best  locality  of  these  zinc  ores,  that  I  have  yet  examined 
in  this  county,  is  on  section  13,  township  19  north,  range  17  west,  of  the 
5th  principal  meridian,  on  the  waters  of  the  east  branch  of  George's  creek. 
The  surface  indications  here  are  quite  encouraging,  and  lead  to  the  infer- 
ence that  considerable  bodies  of  both  the  carbonate  and  sulphuret  of  zinc 
exist  more  deeply  seated  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock;  indeed,  these  ores 
seem  to  occur  here  in  veins  between  well-defined  walls  of  rock,  the  main 
vein  running  north  30  deg.  east  and  south,  30  deg.  west,  besides  some  cross 
courses  north  70  deg.  to  80  deg.  west.  These  veins  or  crevices  are  ex- 
posed in  one  place  on  George's  creek,  8  feet  9  inches  across  from  wall  to 
wall.  Several  shallow  openings  have  been  made,  at  different  points,  a 
few  hundred  yards  apart,  on  George's  Creek,  in  all  of  which  good  speci- 
mens of  these  zinc  ores  have  been  exposed,  associated,  occasionally,  with 
some  sulphuret  of  lead  and  small  quantities  of  sulphuret  of  copper. 

I  would  particularly  designate  this  place,  as  worthy  of  the  attention  and 
exploration  of  the  zinc  manufacturer,  as  the  locality  gives  promise,  as  far 
as  can  be  judged,  from  the  partial  openings  made,  of  affording  good  rich 
zinc  ores  in  sufficient  quantities  to  supply  a  furnace. 

There  is  more  sulphuret  of  zinc  at  these  than  at  the  zinc  mines  of  Law- 
rence county;  but  still  there  are  large  quantities  of  carbonate  also,  which 
yield  from  48  to  52  per  cent  of  zinc,  as  may  be  seen  by  consulting  the  an- 
alysis of  these  ores,  in  the  Report  of  the  Chemical  Assistant.  The  sulphuret, 


56  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

it  is  true,  contains  a  higher  percentage  of  metal  than  the  carbonate;  but  it 
is  much  more  difficult  and  expensive  to  work,  and  hence  a  less  profitable 
ore  to  mine  than  the  carbonates,  with  a  less  per  centage  of  zinc  in  their 
composition. 

The  higher  points  of  the  hills  in  this  part  of  Marion  county,  are  capped 
with  cherty  rocks  of  subcarboniferous  date,  but  the  lower  part  of  the  hills 
belongs  to  the  same  age  as  the  members  exhibited  in  the  geological  section 
on  Sugar-loaf  creek,  previously  given. 

The  pine  and  other  timber  on  the  high  ridge,  mentioned  as  intervening 
between  the  head  of  Sugar-loaf  creek  and  the  waters  of  George's  creek, 
will  afford  good  coaling  grounds  for  the  use  of  zinc  furnaces,  which  might 
be  located  some  where  in  the  vicinity  of  these  zinc  mines,  as  well  as  for 
the  reduction  of  the  lead  ore  that  may  be  raised  towards  the  head  of 
Sugar-loaf  creek. 


CARROLL   COUNTY. 

As  yet,  only  the  eastern  portion  of  this  county  has  been  examined. 
The  lead  ore  of  this  county,  occurs  in  the  cotemporaneous  formations  of 
magnesian  limestones,  with  occasional  interstratification  of  sandstone  and 
siliceous  limestones,  overlaid,  towards  the  summits  of  the  hills,  by  the  en- 
crinital  limestones  and  marble  rock,  capped  with  chert.  The  diggings 
have  been  somewhat  deeper  in  Carroll  than  in  Marion  county,  but  still 
quite  limited,  consisting  of  a  few  shallow  trenches  on  the  hill-side,  and 
one  shaft  of  40  feet.  These  have  exposed  several  lead-bearing  crevices  in 
the  rocks,  sometimes  expanded  into  cavernous  spaces  forming  occasional 
"  pockets"  filled  with  lead  ore;  at  other  times  compressed  in  the  joints  of 
of  the  wall-rock,  almost  in  contact,  or  only  affording  space  enough  for 
small  "  strings,"  and  thin  "  sheets"  of  ore,  irregularly  distributed  along  its 
course. 

In  sinking  the  main  shaft,  the  first  layer  of  rock  passed  through,  beneath 
the  subsoil  and  under-clay,  was: 

Light  grey   shale 4  feet 

Dark       "         "     8     " 

Magnesiau  lead-bearing  limestone 28     " 

Total  depth  sunk 40     " 

A  hole  carried  a  few  feet  further,  by  means  of  a  "  churn  auger,"  passed 
mostly  through  good  solid  galena  disseminated  in  the  adjacent  magnesian 
limestone. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  57 


More  or  less  lead  ore  has  been  found  at  different  points,  over  about  two- 
thirds  of  township  20  north,  range  19  west  of  the  5th  principal  meridian' 
according  to  the  representations  of  Judge  Brickey,  who  had  been  formerly 
extensively  engaged  in  the  lead  business  in  Missouri,  and  has  been  recently 
employed  by  Coka  &Mitchell,  the  owners  of  these  mineral  lands,  to  en- 
deavor to  follow  the  course  of  the  veins  on  their  property. 

The  ore  discovered  has  been  sometimes  float  or  gravel  ore,  scattered  on 
the  surface  or  partially  imbedded  through  the  bare  surface  rock,  in  "strings," 
"sheets,"  thin  veins,  and  occasional  •'  pockets;"  also  in  the  interstices,  cre- 
vices, and  even  horizontally  between  the  layers  of  the  bedded  rock. 

The  lead-bearing  Magnesian  limestone,  which  commences,  usually, 
about  80  to  100  feet  beneath  the  summits  of  the  ridges,  has,  in  general,  a 
capping  of  hard,  white,  quartzose  sandstone,  4  to  16  inches  in  thickness, 
with  intervening  beds  of  ferruginous  and  argillaceous  shales  of,  usually, 
only  a  few  inches  or  a  foot  or  two  in  thickness. 

The  section  of  the  upper  90  to  100  feet  of  the  ridges,  in  this  lead  region, 
may  be  represented  approximately  by  the  following  section: 

Chert 50  feet 

Thin-bedded  magnesian  limestone 15     " 

Encrinital  limestone  and  marble  rock 25  to  30     " 

Sandstone,  mostly  hard,  white  and  quartzose,  bedded  6 
to  9  or  sometimes  16  inches:  average  say,  the  "  cap 

rock"  of  the  lead  miner  of   Carroll  county 1     " 

Ferruginous  and  argillaceous  shales  1  to 2     " 

Lead-bearing  magnesian  limestone  with  some  alterna- 
tions of  siliceous  rocks  extending  for  200  to  250  feet 
down  to  the  beds  of  the  streams  and  general  drainage 

of  the  country 250     " 

These  latter  rocks  are,  lithologically,  much  of  the  same  character  as  the 
strata  represented  in  the  250  feet  of  the  lower  part  of  the  section,  on  Su- 
gar-loaf creek,  in  Marion  county. 

It  appears  that  the  surface  of  the  magnesian  limestone,  under  the  sand- 
stone, has  suffered  from  irregular  denudation,  previous  to  the  deposition 
of  the  sand,  which  went  to  form  the  succeeding  stratum,  which  is,  in  con- 
sequence, sometimes  quite  irregular  in  its  thickness,  even  in  short  distances, 
where  the  sand  has  been  swept  into  the  eroded  cavities;  such  an  action 
has  taken  place  close  to  where  the  40  feet  shaft  has  been  sunk  in  this 
county.  There,  a  great  mass  of  isolated  sandstone,  which  has  resisted  the 
action  of  decomposing  agencies,  beyond  that  of  the  adjacent  members, 
etands  out  as  a  bold  mass,  as  if  it  might  have  been  a  wall  or  dike,  form- 


58  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

erly  enclosed  between  walls  of  the  adjacent  magnesian  limestone,  and  now 
forms  a  conspicuous  feature  in  the  landscape  of  that  region.  (See  plate 
No.  4.) 

The  lead  ore  of  this  locality  of  Carroll  county,  may  be  expected  to 
occur  in  following  it,  with  its  downward  hade,  through  the  different  member* 
of  this  formation,  in  irregular  masses,  "  pockets,"  sheets,  strings,  and  thin 
veins  in  the  magnesian  limestones;  but  probably  sparingly,  if  at  all,  inter- 
spersed in  the  occasional  layers  of  sandstone,  which  rock  has,  perhaps,  not 
retained  the  openness  of  fissure,  necessary  for  the  reception  of  the  infil- 
trated or  insinuated  ore.* 

About  20,000  pounds  of  lead  ore  have  been  raised,  in  all,  at  these  "  dig- 
gings," the  excavations  being,  however,  for  the  most  part,  only  5  to  15 
feet  in  depth. 

About  500  to  600  pounds  were  raised  at  the  40  feet,  "  Brickey's"  shaft, 
adjacent  to  the  isolated  mass  of  sandstone,  represented  on  plate  No.  4. 

Judge  Brickey,  who  has  had  long  experience  in  the  lead  business,  in 
Washington  county,  Missouri,  is  of  opinion  that  the  surface  indications  in 
township  20  north,  range  19  west,  of  the  5th  principal  meridian,  are  fully 
as  encouraging  as  in  that  part  of  Missouri,  perhaps  even  more  so,  for 
profitable  mining. 

The  great  difficulty  in  pursuing  lead-mining  in  this  part  of  Arkansas,  at 
present,  is  the  want  of  furnaces  for  the  reduction  of  ore  which  the  miner 
could  raise. 

For  want  of  these,  the  ore  has  either  to  be  smelted  in  heaps  or  log  fur- 
naces at  considerable  loss  and  disadvantage,  or  transported  at  a  cost  which 
would  consume  the  profits  of  the  miner,  to  distant  localities  in  Missouri, 
where  smelting  furnaces  have  been  already  erected. 

The  most  common  vein-stone  of  this  region  is  calcareous  spar;  some 
"  gozzin"  is  occasionally  seen  in  the  crevices;  but  oftener,  near  the  surface, 
the  materials  filling  the  interstices  of  the  magnesian  limestones,  are  buff 
and  grey  argillaceous  and  shaly  earths. 

The  distance  from  these  mines  to  navigation  on  White  river,  at  Du 
Buque,  is  from  8  to  10  miles.  The  growth  is,  mostly,  small  sized  black 
and  post-oak  and  hickory. 

It  will  be  observed, 'by  the  Chemical  Report,  that  the  lead  ores,  both  of 
Carroll,  Marion,  and  Independence  counties,  are,  when  freed  from  adhering 
gangue  and  rock,  remarkable  for  their  purity.  The  most  important  of 
them  have  been  cupelled,  to  ascertain  the  amount  of  silver,  but  only  one 
variety  examined,  up  to  the  present  time,  viz:  that  from  the  Sewell 

*  In  some  few  instances,  in  Missouri,  lead  ore  has  been  found  in  sufficient  quantity  in  the  sand- 
stone to  pay  for  working. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  59 


diggings,  on  Jemmy's  creek,  promises  to  afford  sufficient  silver  to  pay  the 
expense  of  extraction. 

The  rocks  of  the  lead  region  of  Carroll  county,  near  the  Coka  and 
Mitchell  diggings,  dip  to  the  south-west,  so  that  the  encrinital  limestones 
descend,  in  that  direction,  at  the  rate  of  about  100  feet  to  the  mile;  and 
are  near  the  level  of  the  creeks,  two  miles  south-west  of  the  locality 
represented  in  plate  No.  4. 


FULTON    COUNTY. 

In  the  townships  of  land,  situated  in  the  north-western  part  of  this 
county,  the  highest  knobs  are  composed,  like  those  in  Marion  and  Izard 
counties,  of  cherty  masses,  referable,  probably,  to  the  subcarboniferous 
era,  resting  upon  earthy,  hydraulic-looking  marls,  limestones  and  shales, 
on  which  the  principal  tracts  of  arable  land  are  based.  Such  is  the  nature 
of  the  strata  in  the  "  Rapp  Barrens,"  between  White  river  and  the  North 
Fork,  at  an  elevation  of  about  130  or  150  feet  above  these  streams;  and 
corresponding  in  their  lithological  character  to  the  strata  of  Marion  county, 
formerly  made  mention  of,  occurring  4  or  5  miles  north-east  of  Yellville, 
between  the  waters  of  Crooked,  Jemmy's,  and  Fallen  Timber  creeks. 

The  following  strata  were  observed  at  elevations  in  ascending  from  the 
North  Fork  to  the  general  level  of  the  country,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Rapp 
barrens,  in  the  upper  80  feet  of  the  ridge,  which  overlooks  the  Ripple  of 
the  North  Fork,  near  the  Rapp  barrens: 

At  380  feet:  above  the  North  Fork,  varieties  of  crisp  and  agatized  chert 
prevail. 

At  375  feet:  white- weathering  magnesian  limestone. 

At  370  feet:  coarse-grained  magnesian  limestone  and  chert. 

At  365  feet:  porous  buhrstone  and  chert. 

At  300  feet:  hard  blocks  of  coarse-grained,  glistening,   siliceous   rock, 
intermediate  between  chert  and  sandstone. 

The  strata  of  the  lower  part  of  the  cliffs,  along  the  North  Fork,  in  the 
vicinity  of  these  barrens,  are  mostly  composed  of  different  varieties  of 
magnesian  limestones  and  silico-calcareous  rocks,  which  are  remarkable 
for  the  great  differences  which  they  exhibit  in  their  capabilities  of  resisting 
atmospheric  vicissitudes;  some  layers  being  hard,  compact  and  durable, 
stand  out  prominently  in  overhanging  ledges;  others,  crumbling  away, 
recede,  even  under  the  shelter  and  protection  of  more  durable  strata.* 
Some  of  the  layers  possess  a  fine  oolitic  structure. 

*  See  Chemical  Report  for  the  analyses  of  these  two  different  kinds  of  rocks. 


60  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

The  ridges,  150  to  160  feet  above  the  white  sandstone,  which  crops  out 
near  Sander's  store,  and  elsewhere  in  the  Barrens,  are  mostly  strewed  with 
agatized  and  chalcedonized 'chert.  These  are  either  destitute  of  timber 
or  overgrown  with  thickets  of  low  scrubby  timber,  while  the  narrow,  tor- 
tuous vallies  or  "  coves,"  enclosed  between  the  ridges,  are,  for  the  most 
part,  meadow  prairie. 

Though  rocky  and  rather  forbidding,  at  first  view,  the  land  produces 
well;  particularly  oats,  wheat,  wool,  and  honey.  The  crops  of  maize  may 
be  considered  average.  The  country  is  well  watered,  and  possesses  many 
fine  water-powers,  even  at  the  very  fountain  head  of  some  of  its  numerous 
limpid  calcareous  streams,  which  frequently  burst  forth  from  amongst  the 
ledges  of  rock. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these,  forms  the  fountain-head  of  the 
main  fork  of  Spring  river,  known  as  the  "  Mammoth  Spring,"  welling  up 
on  the  south  side  of  a  low  rocky  ridge,  from  a  submerged  abyss  beneath 
of  sixty-four  feet,  and  constituting,  at  its  very  source,  a  respectable  lake 
of  about  one-sixteenth  of  a  mile  from  north  to  south,  and  one-fifth  to  one- 
sixth  of  that  distance  from  east  to  west. 

It  is  said,  by  those  that  have  sounded  the  bottom,  that  there  are  large 
cavities  and  crevices  in  the  rock,  and  that  the  main  body  of  the  water 
issues  from  a  large  cavernous  opening  of  some  forty  yards  in  circumfer- 
ence. It  has  been  estimated  that  it  boils  up  at  the  rate  of  about  eight 
thousand  barrels  per  minute;  the  correctness  of  this  estimate,  we  had  no 
means  of  verifying;  but  it  may  be  safely  estimated,  that  the  average 
constant  flow  would  be  at  least  sufficient  to  propel  from  12  to  15  run  of 
stones. 

The  uniform  temperature  and  composition  of  the  water,  is  peculiarly 
congenial  to  the  growth  of  a  variety  of  cryptogamic,  aquatic  plants,  pos- 
sessing highly  nutritive  qualities,  both  for  herbiverous  animals  and  birds. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  the  country,  herds  of  herbiverous  wild 
animals  traveled  from  great  distances  to  this  fountain,  of  both  food  and 
water,  as  well  as  flocks  of  wild  fowl.  Now,  the  cattle  of  the  neighboring 
farms  may  be  seen  wading  in  its  waters,  up  to  their  middle,  and  browsing 
on  the  herbage,  which  appears  peculiarly  congenial  to  their  tastes;  it  is, 
also,  a  general  resort  of  ducks,  geese,  and  other  aquatic  birds. 

This  mammoth  spring  is  located  just  south  of  the  east  and  west  line 
between  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  on  section  5,  township  21  north,  range  7 
west  of  the  5th  principal  meridian,  and  forms  the  most  interesting  feature 
of  this  section  of  country,  since  it  affords  a  water-power,  which,  if  properly 
improved,  might  supply  valuable  mill-sites,  and  water-privileges,  for 
manufacturing  purposes  in  general.  Small  and  rude  as  the  present  grist- 


D 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


mill  is,  at  this  point,  with  its  two  run  of  40  inch  stones,  it  attracts  the 
custom  of  iarmers  living  30  or  40  miles  distant,  who  throng  to  its  door — 
even  though  they  may  have  to  wait  days  and  nights  for  their  turn  to  come 
round. 

The  accompanying  sketch  [plate  No.  5,]  represents  the  present  mill, 
looking  north  over  the  expanse  of  water,  forming  the  source  of  this  cele- 
brated spring. 

The  water  of  this  remarkable  fountain,  remains  at  a  nearly  uniform 
temperature,  never  freezing  in  winter.  On  the  17th  of  December,  1857, 
the  temperature  of  the  air  being  17  deg.  Fahrenheit,  the  spring  showed 
only  57  deg.  Fahrenheit.  But  the  average  temperature,  when  the  ther- 
mometer is  sunk  deep  in  the  spring,  will  probably  be  found  to  be  60  deg. 

The  extent  of  the  range  of  extreme  low  and  high  water,  is  but  3  to  4 
inches,  so  that  the  variation  in  the  supply  of  water  is  very  slight. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  water  now  runs  to  waste,  the  present  mill 
only  requiring  a  limited  supply;  but,  if  it  were  all  saved,  which  it  could 
very  easily  be,  there  would  be  enough  for  many  grist-mills,  as  well  as 
woolen  factories,  which  would  be  well  adapted  to  the  resources  of  the 
country;  since  both  the  climate  and  herbage  seem  to  be  well  suited  to 
raising  sheep.  At  least,  the  small  flocks  of  sheep,  seen  in  the  range, 
appeared  both  healthy  and  vigorous. 

The  water  is  generally  clear  and  limpid;  it  only  becomes  slightly  muddy 
after  long  continued  rains.  From  10  to  11  feet  of  fall  can  be  obtained 
between  the  fountain-head  and  the  present  site  of  the  dam. 

The  principal  outcrop  of  rock,  is  a  white  silico-calcareous  rock,  splitting 
with  a  slaty  fracture,  and  presenting  dendritic  markings  on  its  surface. 
Locally,  large  quantities  of  calcareous  tufa  have  accumulated,  and  are 
still  forming  in  creeks  and  recesses  around  the  head  of  the  spring; 
deposited  from  the  water,  partly  on  account  of  the  loss  of  a  portion  of 
its  carbonic  acid,  which  is  dissipated  into  the  atmosphere  as  these  calca- 
reous waters  reach  the  surface,  and  partly  by  gradual  evaporation. 

Varieties  of  chert,  hornstone,  and  porous  buhrstones,  form  the  most  con- 
spicuous rocks  in  the  ridges  of  the  northern  part  of  Fulton  county:  these 
repose  on  limestones,  mostly  of  a  siliceous  character,  with  segregations 
and  interpolations  of  chert,  sandstone  and  calciferous  sandrocks. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  original  source  of  the  Mammoth  spring  is 
Howel's  valley,  Oregon  county,  Missouri,  since  the  waters  of  this  valley, 
which  is  eight  miles  wide  and  thirty  miles  long,  are  not  known  to  have 
any  external  outlet,  losing  themselves  in  sink-holes  and  subterranean 
caverns  and  passages.  Uniting,  as  is  supposed,  near  the  southern  boun- 
dary of  Missouri,  they  again  burst  forth  to  the  day  through  caverns  and 


(32  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

crevices  in  the  rock,  on  the  extreme  northern  confines  of  Arkansas,  and 
form  this  immense  spring,  which  constitutes  the  head  of  the  principal 
branch  of  Spring  river,  watering  the  north-east  corner  of  Fulton  county; 
and  then,  entering  Lawrence,  it  forms  one  of  the  main  streams  of  that 
county;  flowing,  finally,  into  Black  river,  above  Smithville. 

Since  the  death  of  the  former  proprietor,  Mr.  Mills,  the  ownership  of 
the  spring,  and  the  land  around,  has  reverted  to  his  heirs. 

For  the  sake  of  the  interests  of  the  country,  we  hope  this  water-privilege, 
possessing  so  many  natural  advantages,  will  soon  be  improved  in  the 
manner  its  intrinsic  value  justifies,  and  that  it  may  fall  into  the  hands  of 
enterprizing  and  practical  manufacturers,  who  will  give  an  impetus  to 
profitable  and  useful  branches  of  manufacturing  industry,  suited  to  the 
resources  of  the  country,  which  soon  attract  around  them  an  industrious, 
progressive,  and  intelligent  population. 

Extensive  deposits  of  iron  ore  have  been  reported  as  occurring  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Mammoth  spring.  I  found  some  superficial  specimen* 
of  good  ore  in  the  north  part  of  Fulton  county,  but  have  not  seen  any 
extensive  beds;  those  referred  to  by  Mr.  Mills,  in  a  notice  issued  of  his 
property,  before  his  death,  are,  probably,  situated  north  of  the  state  line, 
on  the  western  fork,  in  Missouri.  The  geological  formation  is  such  as|to 
justify  the  expectation  that  a  detailed  survey  of  Fulton  county  may  dis- 
close bodies  of  ore  that  might  warrant  the  erection  of  furnaces. 

Descending  south  from  the  head  of  Main  Spring  river,  I  found  ths 
country  mostly  constructed  of  low  chert  ridges,  with  prairie  coves  between 
them;  the  timber  being,  chiefly,  on  the  ridges,  of  a  small  growth  of  oak 
and  hickory. 

Two  miles  east  of  the  Mammoth  spring,  a  fine,  white  sandstone*  cropg 
out  on  a  slope  on  the  Missouri  side  of  the  line. 

On  Jaynes'  creek,  the  same  kind  of  country  prevails.  In  the  valley  of 
that  stream,  low  benches  of  rugged,  weathering  magnesian  limestone  aro 
seen  projecting  from  the  slopes  of  the  ridges,  which  are  mostly  strewed 
with  chert  blocks,  and  gravel  in  the  upper  portions.  The  highest  of  thes« 
chert  ridges  are  from  250  to  280  feet  above  the  water  courses,  but  the  most 
of  them  are  considerably  lower. 

*This  is  probably  the  equivalent  of  the  sandstone  represented  on  No.  4,  which  underlies  th« 
marble  limestones  of  Carroll  county. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


LAWIiENCE   COUNTY. 

Near  the  forks  of  the  Jackson  and  Smithville  road,  some  chert  ridges, 
measured,  were  found  to  have  an  elevation  of  about  80  to  100  feet  above 
the  drainage  of  the  country. 

On  Morton's  creek,  near  Morgan's  mill,  there  is  some  zinc,  which  may 
prove  valuable,  if  fairly  opened  and  exposed,  as  the  surface  indications 
are  somewhat  encouraging. 

The  chert  of  the  ridges  along  Morton's  creek  is  mostly  dull  and  impure, 
with  little  or  no  true  chalcedony. 

In  the  cuts  of  the  stream,  grey  and  white  varieties  of  magnesian  lime- 
stones crop  out,  associated  with  a  white  rock,  which  has  the  appearance 
of  a  calciferous  sandrock. 

The  same  character  of  rocks  prevails  to  the  Big  Lick.  South  of  that 
locality,  some  porous  buhrstones  are  intermixed  with  the  dull,  impure, 
earthy  chert,  and  a  white  magnesian  limestone  was  observed  cropping 
out,  approaching,  in  its  character,  the  so-called  "  Cotton  Rock." 

On  Machine  creek,  some  zinc  ore  has  been  discovered,  and  a  few  loads 
hauled  over  to  the  zinc  furnace,  in  Lawrence. 

E.  W.  Houghton  explored  for  lead  ore  on  Stennett's  creek,  in  this 
county,  and  obtained  considerable  lead  ore,  but  abandoned  the  diggings, 
probably,  because  there  was  no  lead  furnace  to  smelt  the  ore. 

The  main  zinc  deposits  of  Lawrence  county,  on  which  the  principal 
dependence  is  placed  for  supplying  ore  to  the  furnace  now  erected  at 
Calamine,  are  the  so-called  Hoppe  diggings,  on  section  19,  township  16 
north,  range  2  west. 

The  ore  here  is  very  accessible,  being,  in  some  places,  only  one  foot 
beneath  the  surface.  It  has  been  followed  down  18  feet,  and  found  occu- 
pying interstices  between  isolated  corroded  masses  of  limestone,  and  inter- 
mixed with,  and  imbedded  in  red  clay.  The  width  of  the  excavation  was 
about  25  feet.  The  associate  limestone  is  of  a  light  grey  color,  with 
strings  and  thin  veins  of  disseminated  ore,  which  comprises  mostly  those 
different  varieties  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  described  in  works  on  mineralogy, 
under  the  name  of  "calamine"  and  "smithsonite." 

The  chemical  analyses  of  these  ores,  made  by  Dr.  Elderhorst,  in  my 
laboratory,  gives  an  average  yield  of  51.7  per  cent,  of  oxide,  which  in 
equal  to  41.5  per  cent,  of  metallic  zinc  in  these  carbonates. 

Intermixed  with  the  carbonates  there  is  also  some  zinc  blende,  which 
will  yield,  when  freed  from  adhering  gangue,  nearly  66  pej;  cent,  of  metal- 
lic zinc;  but  this  ore,  though  containing  a  larger  proportion  of  zinc  than 


64  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

the  carbonates,  is  less  valuable  as  an  ore,  since  it  is  more  expensive  and 
difficult  to  roast,  smelt,  and  reduce  to  the  metallic  state. 

The  chemical  analyses  even  of  the  associate  dolomitic  rocks  and  red 
clay,  filling  the  interstices  between  the  rock  and  ore,  afford  a  small  per 
centage  of  zinc,  viz:  two  per  cent  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  in  the  magnesian 
limestone  taken  from  the  Hoppe  mine,  and  about  one-third^of  one  per 
cent,  in  the  red  clay. 

For  the  details  of  analysis,  consult  the  Chemical  Report  of  Dr.  Elder- 
horst,  where  a  statement  will  be  found  of  the  value  of  the  Arkansas  zinc 
ores,  compared  with  those  of  the  most  productive  zinc  districts  of  Europe. 

Since  all  the  zinc  at  present  consumed  in  this  country  is  imported  from 
Europe,  and  subject  to  a  duty  of  4  per  cent,  on  crude  zinc,  and  24  per 
cent,  on  all  manufactured  articles,  the  establishment  of  furnaces  for  the 
smelting  of  these  very  productive  ores  of  zinc  of  Arkansas,  would,  indeed, 
be  a  national  benefit,  since  the  quantity  of  crude  and  manufactured  zinc, 
imported  into  the  United  States,  according  to  the  last  published  state- 
ments, amounts  very  nearly  to  nine  hundred  thousand  dollars  worth  of 
this  useful  metal. 


REPORT 


OF   A 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


OP   PART   OF 


ARKANSAS. 


PAJRT    SECOND 


In  proceeding  to  record  the  observations  made  during  the  surveys  of 
1858, 1  shall  commence  with 


WHITE    COUNTY. 


No.  6. — CLIFFS  OF  THE  "BEE  KOCK,"  OF  WHITE  COUNTY,  ON  LITTLE  RED  RIVER. 


The  most  conspicuous  geological  feature  of  this  county,  is  the  escarp- 
ment of  sandstone  along  the  bluffs  of  Little  Ked  river,  known  as  the  "  Bee 
rock."  The  sketch  in  the  wood-cut  at  the  head  of  this  section,  is  taken 
from  the  summit  of  those  rocks,  looking  over  the  valley  of  Little  Red 
river,  and  the  distant  low  ground  to  the  north.  The  sandstone  forming 


68  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

the  cliffs  in  the  foreground  of  this  landscape,  is  part  of  the  conglomerate 
and  millstone  grit  formation  that  intervenes  between  the  overlying  coal 
measures  proper,  and  the  underlying  subcarboniferous  limestone. 

"When  water-worn  pebbles  are  disseminated  through  such  sandstones, 
subordinate  to  the  coal  measures,  they  have  received  the  name  of  conglo- 
merates or  pebbly  sandstones  ;  when  pebbles  are  absent,  and  the  rock  con- 
stitutes merely  a  coarse-textured  sandstone,  it  is  called  millstone  grit. 
Both  these  varieties  occur  in  White  county,  along  the  escarpments  of  Lit- 
tle Red  river,  which  attain  a  thickness  of  150  to  200  feet,  imparting  wild 
and  romantic  scenery  to  the  country,  for  many  miles  along  the  bank  of 
this  stream.  They  constitute,  also,  the  nucleus  of  the  backbone  ridge  that 
runs  from  the  Bee  rock  to  Patterson's  mill.  At  the  latter  locality,  the 
impression  of  a  peculiar  extinct  plant,  characteristic  of  the  early  carboni- 
ferous era,  known  as  the  stigmaria  ficoides,  was  discovered,  imbedded  in 
the  sandstone,  which  would  prove  conclusively  the  age  of  this  sandstone 
formation,  if  other  evidence  were  wanting. 

A  particle  of  gold,  the  size  of  a  flaxseed,  is  said  to  have  been  pumped 
up  with  the  sand  from  the  bed  of  Little  Red  river,  at  Patterson's  mill. 
Even  if  this  is  correct  information,  it  is  not  probable  that  quantities  of 
this  metal,  sufficient  to  pay  for  the  extraction,  could  be  washed  out  of  the 
sands  of  Little  Red  river,  since  it  does  not  flow,  along  any  part  of  its 
course,  over  rocks  such  as  have  yielded  profitable  quantities  of  this  pre- 
cious metal  in  other  countries. 

The  dip  of  these  sandstones  on  this  part  of  Little  Red  river,  is  1J  deg. 
to  2  deg.  to  the  south,  or  a  little  west  of  south.  The  base  of  this  forma- 
tion, at  this  point,  is  schistose  in  its  structure,  i.  e.,  thin  bedded,  becoming, 
however,  more  solid  and  massive  in  its  upper  part. 

Some  segregations  of  iron  ore  occur  about  10  feet  above  the  water  of 
Little  Red  river,  near  the  mill,  but  they  are,  here,  too  siliceous  to  constitute 
a  good  quality  of  ore  for  the  manufacture  of  iron. 

Three  miles  north-west  of  Searcy,  at  a  "bald  point,"  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  widow  Gilbert's  farm,  sixty  feet  of  shaly  strata  are  exposed,  dark  or 
nearly  black,  in  its  lower  part,  and  reddish  yellow  and  ferruginous  towards 
the  top.  This  shale  includes  numerous  segregations  of  carbonate  of  iron 
and  carbonate  of  lime  ;  the  latter  containing  several  fossil  marine  shells, 
amongst  which  the  nautilus  ferratus  was  discovered,  a  species  which 
occurs  in  the  ferruginous  shales  of  Nolin,  in  Edmonson  county,  Ky. 

Until  levels  are  run,  which  it  is  contemplated  doing  hereafter,  during 
the  progress  of  the  detailed  surveys  in  the  individual  counties,  it  is  difficult 
to  pronounce  positively  on  the  relative  geological  position  of  these  shales, 
with  reference  to  the  sandstones  of  the  Bee  rock  ;  but,  judging  from  the 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


superposition,  as  observed  in  Kentucky,  of  the  cotemporaneous  shales,  I 
am,  q£  present,  disposed  to  consider  them  as  immediately  following  these 
sandstones,  in  the  order  of  superposition.  At  any  rate,  the  cliffs  of  sand- 
stone and  conglomerate  of  Little  Red  river,  and  the  Gilbert  shales  of 
"White  county,  Arkansas,  are  a  perfect  counterpart  of  the  high  escarpment 
of  the  "  Dismal  rock,"  of  which  a  sketch  is  given  as  the  frontispiece  to  the 
first  volume  of  the  Kentucky  Geological  Eeport,  and  the  ferruginous  shales 
of  Nolin  are  shown  in  a  section  at  the  end  of  the  same  volume. 

The  Gilbert  shales  are  underlaid  by  heavy  sandstones,  passing  down- 
wards into  a  more  schistose  rock  in  the  descent  towards  Panther  creek. 

The  quantity  of  iron  ore  at  this  locality,  both  of  the  carbonate  and 
limonite  varieties,  would  go  far  towards  supplying  a  furnace,  and  similar 
ores  can,  no  doubt,  be  discovered  in  the  same  geological  position  in  other 
parts  of  .the  county.  Hereafter  we  shall  record  the  constituents  of  this 
ore  when  the  quantitative  chemical  analysis  is  completed. 

In  digging  wells  in  the  vicinity  of  Searcy,  a  blackish  grey,  indurated, 
argillo-siliceous  shale  is  encountered,  containing  small  scales  of  dissemi- 
nated mica.  This  material  is  brittle  and  crumbles,  by  exposure,  to  a  clay. 

Similar  shales  are  struck,  usually  ten  feet  below  the  surface,  under  the 
red  lands  situated  west  of  Searcy.  The  first  ten  feet  passed  through,  gene- 
rally consist  of  soil,  subsoil,  and  gravel  overlying  these  shales.  The  red 
soil  of  these  level  farming  lands  is  quite  productive,  yielding  good  crops 
of  cotton,  corn,  wheat,  and  the  finest  oats  in  ordinary  seasons,  viz. :  800  to 
1,500  pounds  of  cotton  in  the  seed  to  the  acre,  twenty  to  twenty-five 
bushels  of  wheat,  and  forty  to  sixty  bushels  of  oats,  when  there  are  sea- 
sonable rains. 

Samples  of  this  soil  have  been  collected  for  future  chemical  analysis,  in 
case  the  agricultural  department  of  the  Survey  should  be  hereafter  pro- 
vided for. 

This  description  of  land  must  have  an  area  of  some  360  square  miles, 
extending,  as  it  does,  about  thirty  miles  from  east  to  west,  and  twelve 
miles  from  north  to  south,  and  appears  to  have  been  derived  from  the  dis- 
integration of  the  ferruginous  shales,  which,  at  one  time,  existed  over  the 
dark,  argillo-siliceous  shales,  that  now  underlie  this  tract,  and  which  still 
are  to  be  seen  in  the  slopes  of  the  hills  adjacent  to  these  red  lands. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  watered  by  bayou  Des  Arc  and 
Caney  creek,  sandstones  and  shales  of  the  millstone  grit  period  prevail. 

In  the  Royal  Colony  settlement,  near  the  line  between  sections  seven  and 
eight,  township  five,  range  ten,  a  bed  of  coal,  from  ten  to  twelve  inches 
in  thickness,  occurs  sixty  feet  up  in  a  ridge,  known  as  Coal-hill,  at  the 
head  of  Cypress  bayou. 


70  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


The  base  of  Coal-hill  consists  of  black  and  ferruginous  shales,  sur- 
mounted by  thick-bedded  sandstone,  capping  its  summit. 

Ferruginous  shales  are  strewed  on  the  slope,  under  the  sandstone,  for 
seventy -five  feet.  Beneath  this,  for  the  depth  of  five  feet,  is  a  bluish  shale, 
enclosing  oval  concretions. 

The  immediate  roof  of  the  coal  is  a  peculiar,  rusty,  talcous-looking, 
scaly  shale,  unctuous  to  the  touch,  and  crumbling  to  pieces  with  the  least 
friction. 

The  coal  varies  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  in  thickness. 

The  base  of  the  hill,  for  60  feet  under  the  coal,  is  composed  of  dark, 
bluish-grey  shale,  including  considerable  quantities  of  carbonate  of  iron. 

The  same  bed  of  coal  crops  out  on  the  western  declivity  of  Coal-hill. 

This  coal  has  been  partially  opened  for  the  use  of  the  blacksmiths  in 
this  part  of  White,  and  the  adjacent  portion  of  Conway  county,  but  where 
it  has  been  worked,  it  has  not  afforded  a  coal  altogether  free  from  the 
pyritiferous  impurities  required  for  shop  use ;  the  thickness,  too,  is  not 
sufficient  to  warrant  the  expense  of  running  drifts  into  it  for  any  great 
distance. 

Sandstone  occupies  the  surface  at  Rocky  point,  but  shale  is  reached 
about  eight  or  nine  feet  under  the  surface.  A  similar  sandstone  crops  out 
on  the  slope  descending  to  Cypress  bayou,  on  the  confines  of  White  and 
Prairie  counties.  All  these  strata  are,  no  doubt,  referrible  to  the  millstone 
grit  series  at  the  base  of  the  coal  measures. 

Ascending  from  the  waters  of  the  Cadron  and  Des  Arc,  in  the  western 
part  of  White  county,  a  great  mass  of  variegated  and  ferruginous  shales 
is  encountered,  nearly  two  hundred  feet  in  thickness,  including  some  inter- 
calated bands  of  sandstone.  These  are  surmounted  by  some  fifty  feet  of 
heavily  bedded  sandstones,  which  are  again  overlapped  with  shales  and 
schistose  siliceous  rocks,  capping  the  mountain  near  the  widow  Norman's. 
Four  and  a  half  miles  beyond,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Theodore  Good- 
low's,  the  sandstone  on  the  table-land  is  characterized  by  peculiar  vermi- 
cular impressions,*  such  as  were  observed  in  Hancock  county,  Kentucky, 
in  the  first  bench  of  sandstone  under  the  main  Hawesville  coal,  and  about 
50  feet  above  the  bench  of  underlying  conglomerate.  This  bench  of 
sandstone  lies,  therefore,  at  the  base  of  the  coal  measures,  and  though 
there  is  a  thin  bed  of  coal  beneath  this  sandstone  at  Hawesville,  it  may 
be  considered  as  underlying  the  productive  coal  measures,  since  no  work- 
able bed  of  coal  has  yet  been  found  below  it. 

*  These  impressions  are  probably  referrible  to  some  species  of  fucoids  or  seaweeds.  They  bear 
some  resemblance  to  drawings  of  Phytogyra,  but  are  apparently  single  and  more  simple  in  their 
structure  than  that  genus. 


-  OF   ARKANSAS.  71 


These  sandstones  with  vermicular  (fucoidal  ?)  impressions  on  the  head 
of  the  Cadron,  in  the  extreme  south-western  part  of  White  county,  belong, 
doubtless,  to  the  geological  horizon  beneath  the  lowest  workable  coal. 

A  remarkable  dislocation  of  the  strata  crosses  the  Cadron  in  the  vicinity 
of  Goodlow's.  Where  I  examined  it,  on  the  south  bank  of  that  stream, 
the  tilted  slabs  of  sandstone  lie  at  various  angles,  from  one  deg.  to  26  deg. ; 
at  one  place,  even  at  50  deg.  Yet  the  belt  of  disturbance  is  quite  narrow, 
not  more  than  six  or  eight  feet,  and  some  of  the  broken  slabs  of  rock  appear 
as  if  they  had  partially  slipped  into  the  yawning  fissure  and  become 
entangled  in  the  closing  of  the  gap.  The  course  of  this  disturbance  runs 
obliquely  across  the  bed  of  the  Cadron,  with  a  slightly  curved  bearing, 
south  south-west,  and  forms  a  kind  of  artificial  dam.  This  rupture  of  the 
strata  can  be  traced  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile.  In  some  parts  of  its 
course  the  fractured  layers  form  a  complete  arch,  dipping  both  ways  from 
the  central  axis. 

Some  attempts  have  been  made  to  discover  ore,  by  sinking  pits  adjacent 
to  this  disturbance  ;  but  without  success,  at  the  depth  to  which  they  were 
carried.  This  axis  of  dislocation  may  possibly  be  connected  with  those 
subsequently  observed  on  the  Palarm  bayou,  since  its  course,  if  produced 
in  a  south-west  direction,  would  extend  to  that  region  of  country. 

High  cliffs  of  sandstone  of  the  same  geological  era,  appear  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Cadron,  near  the  western  confines  of  "White  county. 

The  Searcy  sulphur  water  of  "White  county,  was  tested  qualitatively  at 
the  fountain  head  for  its  principal  constituents,  which  proved  to  be  as  fol- 
lows: 

Small  quantity  of  free  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 
Chloride  of  sodium. 
Chloride  of  magnesium. 
Small  quantity  of  sulphate  of  soda. 
"  "  "  "      magnesia. 

This  water  will  act  as  a  mild  alterative  and  laxative. 

It  should  be  remarked,  that  solution  of  acetate  of  lead  is  darkened  more 
by  the  water  after  being  boiled  down,  than  when  fresh  from  the  spring  ; 
for  this  reason,  I  am  disposed  to  believe,  that  there  must  be  some  portion 
of  sulphur  combined  with  some  organic  principle ;  since  the  free  sulphur- 
etted hydrogen  would  be  expelled  by  boiling.  Besides,  the  fresh  water 
does  not  affect  acetate  of  lead  as  much  as  the  sulphur  taste  would  indi- 
cate. 


72 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


VAN    BTJREN    COUNTY. 


No.  ".—SUGAR-LOAF  MOUNTAIN  OF  VAN  BUREN  COUNTY. 

The  table-land  of  the  south-western  part  of  this  county,  on  to  which  we 
ascended  soon  after  leaving  White  county,  supports  a  pine  forest  on  the 
siliceous  soils,  derived  from  the  disintegration  of  sandstones  of  the  millstone 
grit  series.  This  table-land  is  elevated  400  feet  above  the  general  drain- 
age of  the  country,  and  375  above  a  group  of  dark  shales,  including  car- 
bonate of  iron,  which  are  well  exposed  at  "  Bald  Lick,"  near  the  foot  of 
the  descent,  on  our  route  leading  to  Sugar-loaf  springs.  This  shale,  with 
its  associate  ore,  has  much  the  appearance  of  the  Gilbert  shales  of  Searcy 
county ;  but  these  shales  of  Van  Buren  County,  occupy  a  position,  in  all 
probability,  beneath  sandstones,  the  equivalent  of  the  Bee  rock.  From 
20  to  25  feet  of  these  shales  are  exposed  in  the  ravines  at  the  Bald  Lick, 
having  a  dip  to  the  south-west  of  8  cleg. ;  this  dip  is,  however,  local  both  in 
direction  and  degree,  since  only  a  mile  or  two  to  the  north,  the  strata  were 
observed  to  dip  east  of  north  at  a  more  gentle  angle. 

The  Sugar-loaf  mountain,  of  which  a  sketch  is  given  in  the  wood-cut 
that  heads  this  section,  is  a  conspicuous,  isolated  hill,  cut  off  by  denudation 
from  the  main  ranges  of  this  county.  A  measurement  with  the  aneroid 
barometer,  gave  its  height  440  feet  above  the  Huntsucker  farm.  By  com- 
putation, it  must  be  about  500  feet  above  Little  Red  river,  which  sweeps 
around  its  north-eastern  base. 


OF   ARKANSAS.  73 


This  well-known  land-mark  is  composed,  in  its  upper  part,  of  about  80 
feet  of  schistose  sandstone,  forming  a  bold  and  conspicuous  cliff  on  the 
heights  of  the  mountain,  which  is  contracted  in  its  upper  part,  so  that  the 
area  of  the  summit  is  only  about  200  feet  from  north  to  south,  by  about 
50  feet  from  east  to  west,  with  a  dip  of  a  few  degrees  to  the  south,  as 
shown  in  the  accompanying  view.  Forest  and  undergrowth  conceal,  for 
the  most  part,  the  strata  forming  the  slopes  below  this  escarpment. 

The  construction  of  the  main  ridges,  in  this  part  of  Van  Buren  county, 
of  which  this  may  be  regarded  as  an  outlier,  together  with  the  partial  ex- 
posures, here  and  there  observed  in  the  Sugar-loaf  mountain  itself,  lead  to 
the  conclusion  that  it  is  composed  mostly  of  earthy  varieties  of  sandstone, 
resting  on  ferruginous  and  dark  shales,  similar  to  those  observed  at  the 
Bald  Lick,  and  which  seem  to  exist,  almost  universally,  under  the  main 
mass  of  the  millstone  grit  of  this  part  of  the  State  of  Arkansas. 

The  Sugar-loaf  springs  are  situated  about  three  miles  from  the  Sugar- 
loaf  mountain,  in  a  course  south  of  west.  There  are  several  fine  springs  of 
mineral  water  at  this  place. 

The  one  known  as  the  "Black  Sulphur  Spring,"  but  which  might  be  with 
more  propriety  called  the  White  Sulphur  Spring,  since  it  deposits  a  white 
fibrous  sediment  in  the  trough  into  which  it  first  flows,  though,  where  it 
subsequently  dissipates  itself  over  the  ground,  there  is  a  black  precipitate 
formed  by  the  mutual  action  between  the  sulphur  in  the  water  and  the 
iron  contained  in  the  soil.  This  has  generally  been  regarded  as  the 
strongest  mineral  water  on  the  premises. 

Its  principal  constituents  are  : 

Free  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

Chloride  of  sodium. 

Chloride  of  magnesium. 

No  appreciable  quantity  of  sulphates  could  be  detected  in  the  unconcen- 
trated  water. 

The  "Puce  Spring"  contains  the  same  ingredients,  though  it  is  not  so 
strongly  impregnated  with  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  but  contains  more 
chlorides  than  the  other  spring. 

The  qualitative  examination  of  the  "Eye  Spring,"  so  called  because 
persons  having  inflamed  eyes  have  used  it  most,  gave  the  same  reaction 
with  chemical  reagents  as  the  "  Puce  Spring." 

Besides  these  springs  there  is  a  good  chalybeate  water,  that  issues  from  the 
bank  a  few  paces  from  the  "  Puce  Spring,"  containing  bi-carbonate  of  the 
protoxide  of  iron  and  a  trace  of  chlorides,  but  no  appreciable  quantity  of 


74  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

sulphates,  in  the  unconcentrated  water ;  also  a  spring  of  ordinary  water,  in 
which  bi-carbonates  of  the  alkaline  earths  are  the  principal  constituents. 

The  main  springs  are,  therefore,  saline  sulphuretted  waters,  possessing 
alterative,  laxative,  diaphoretic,  and  diuretic  effects,  well  adapted  for  the 
cure  of  eruptive  complaints,  as  well  as  of  chronic  diseases  of  the  digestive 
organs.  The  properties  possessed  by  the  chalybeate,  are  those  of  a  tonic, 
suited  to  cases  of  a  constitutional  or  temporary  debility,  in  which  prepara- 
tions containing  iron  are  indicated. 

As  Little  Red  river  was  too  high  for  us  to  take  the  river  road  towards 
Clinton,  we  were  prevented  from  examining  any  sections  of  the  rocks  that 
might  present  themselves  along  the  route,  and  had  again  to  ascend  to  the 
table-land,  in  which  the  waters  of  the  Cadron  take  their  rise. 

The  aneroid  barometer  indicated  an  elevation  of  320  feet  above  the 
widow  Goff's  farm. 

For  two  or  three  miles  we  again  travelled  through  a  fine  pine  region, 
with  a  sandy  soil,  derived  from  the  underlying  sandstones  of  the  millstone 
grit  series,  but  emerged  soon,  in  township  9  north,  range  12  west,  on  good 
tracts  of  farming  lands,  watered  by  the  heads  of  the  North  Fork  of  the 
Cadron. 

On  section  13,  township  9  north,  range  12  west,  samples  of  soils  for  future 
chemical  analysis  were  taken  from  this  table-land  on  the  farm  of  George 
More. 

This  soil  is  especially  adapted  for  the  growth  of  oats,  and  will  yield  on 
an  average,  20  to  25  bushels  of  corn,  15  bushels  of  wheat,  and  800  pounds 
of  cotton.  It  stands  drought  remarkably  well,  being  based  on  a  retentive 
ferruginous  clayey  subsoil. 

In  digging  wells  in  this  part  of  Van  Buren  county,  a  hard  reddish  blue 
shale  is  penetrated  under  the  subsoil,  which  overlies  the  beds  of  millstone 
grit.  To  the  disintegration  of  these  shaly  rocks  is  no  doubt  to  be  attributed 
the  superior  fertility  of  these  upland  soils,  compared  with  the  sandy  soils 
of  the  pine  lands,  which  repose  immediately  on  the  underlying  sand- 
stones. 

These  table-lands  are  bounded  on  the  south  by  a  ridge,  composed  of 
sandstone  and  shales,  rising  some  70  to  100  feet  above  the  waters  of  the 
Cadron.  Two  or  three  miles  to  the  northeast  of  George  More's  farm, 
dark  shaly  rocks  are  exposed.  About  the  same  distance  to  the  north-west, 
a  sandstone  region  commences,  overlaid  by  gravel  supporting  a  growth  of 
stunted  oak  and  hickory.  This  kind  of  country  extends  for  about  six  miles 
to  the  descent  to  the  main  Cadron,  and  the  Greasy  valley,  which  lies 
about  230  feet  below  the  table-land.  White,  grey,  banded  and  mottled, 
schistose  sandstone,  are  exposed  in  ledges.  The  ascent  on  the  opposite 


OF    ARKANSAS.  75 


side  of  the  Cadron  to  the  same  description  of  land  is  only  185  feet,  which 
indicates  a  dip  in  a  westerly  direction.  A  further  ascent  of  255  feet  over 
schistose  argillaceous  sandstone,  brought  us  to  a  table-land  with  a  growth 
of  black-jack,  extending  for  three  miles. 

The  upper  beds  of  these  sandstones  are  harder  and  less  argillaceous  in 
their  composition  than  the  lower  layers. 

Oak  and  hickory  are  succeeded  by  oak  and  pine,  which  prevail  to  the 
descent  to  the  valley  of  Little  Red  river. 

The  declivity  commands  an  extensive  view  to  the  north-west,  with  high 
ranges  of  hills,  both  in  the  middle  and  back  ground. 

This  elevated  country  is  about  600  feet  above  Choctaw  creek.  The 
lower  ledges  of  sandstone  appear  here  in  a  kind  of  pavement  form,  dip- 
ping 40  to  50  deg.  to  the  south-east,  and  checkered  with  segregations  of 
oxide  of  iron.  Beneath  this  is  a  brown  massive  freestone,  which  would 
make  a  good  building  stone.  Still  lower,  near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  are 
black,  rusty  ferruginous  shales,  the  base  of  which  is  some  600  feet  below 
the  summit  of  the  ridge.  About  10  feet  lower,  strata  of  flaggy  sandstone 
form  the  bed  of  Choctaw  creek,  having  a  south-westerly  dip.  This  is  pro- 
bably an  intercalated  band  in  the  mass  of  shaly  rocks,  which  appear  to 
extend  even  to  the  banks  of 'Little  Red  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Clinton  ; 
but  since  there  are  no  good  exposures  below  the  flaggy  sandstone  of  Choc- 
taw creek,  and  the  alluvium  of  Little  Red  river,  we  are  left  to  infer  the  cha- 
racter of  the  concealed  strata  from  very  partial  out-crops,  and  analogy  of 
structure  with  other  neighboring  ridges  of  Van  Buren  county. 

A  few  miles  north  and  north-east  of  Clinton,  some  beds  of  coal  are 
reported  to  have  been  partially  opened,  for  the  use  of  blacksmiths  ;  these  I 
have  not  had  an  opportunity  of  examining,  nor  yet  the  coal  on  the  waters 
of  Sugar  Camp  creek,  said  to  have  been  discovered  by  A.  J.  Cristopher, 
eight  miles  north-east  of  Clinton. 

The  summit  level  of  the  ridge,  over  which  the  Lebanon  road  runs,  is  1220 
feet  above  the  town  of  Clinton,  according  to  observations  made  with  the 
aneroid  barometer. 

No  limestone  is  visible  on  the  east  side  of  this  ridge,  as  you  arise  from 
the  Clinton  side  ;  the  lowest  rocks  visible  are  black,  grey,  and  ferruginous 
shales,  surmounted  by  sandstone  and  conglomerate;  the  order  of  succession 
being  very  much  the  same  as  had  been  observed  in  the  principal  ridges  in 
White  county.  The  descent  on  the  west  side  reveals,  however,  under 
these  shaly  rocks,  Archimedes  and  encrinital  beds  of  the  subcarboniferous 
group,  which  crop  out  along  the  bank  of  Lesley's  ford,  of  Little  Red  river. 
Associated  with  this  group  is  a  bed  of  black  limestone,  one  to  one  and  a 


70 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


half  feet  iii  thickness,  which,  as  the  fossils  show  white,  against  a  black 
ground,  will,  when  polished,  produce  a  beautiful  marble. 

On  section  12,  township  13,  range  15  west,  the  subcarboniferous  lime- 
stone extends  to  the  height  of  15  to  20  fieet  above  the  bed  of  Lesley's 
creek,  covered  by  the  afore-mentioned  shales.  This  is  on  the  immediate 
confines  of  the  western  boundary  of  Van-Buren  county;  the  line  passes 
through  the  orchard  of  Hatchet,  who  resides  on  the  banks  of  Lesley's 
creek,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 


SEAROY    COUNTY. 


No.  8.— KNOB  0V  SEARCY  CODNTY,  TAKKN  FROM  THE  DAWSON  FARM,  OJf  FORREST  CREEK. 


Proceeding  towards  Wiley's  cove,  in  this  county,  from  Lesley's  fork  of 
Little  Red  river,  the  Archimedes  and  encrinital  beds  of  the  upper  sub- 
carboniferous  group  gradually  ascend  to  'a  higher  level  above  the  water- 
courses ;  so  that  there  appears,  beneath  these,  in  Wiley's  cove,  a  consider- 
able thickness  of  hard,  sheety,  black,  bituminous  shale,  which  has  all  the 
lithological  aspect  of  the  black  bituminous  shale  at  the  foot  of  the  falls  of 
the  Ohio.  But  that  shale  belongs  to  the  devonian  period,  whereas  subse- 
quent observation  showed  this  black  shale  of  Searcy  county  to  be  a  mem- 
ber of  the  subcarboniferous  period. 


OF   ARKANSAS.  77 


Immediately  overlying  this  black  shale  is  a  black,  bituminous  limestone, 
much  of  the  same  character  as  that  already  mentioned  as  occurring  in  the 
Oil-trough  ridge,  and  occupying  very  nearly  the  same  geological  horizon. 

The  section  in  Wiley's  cove  is  approximately  as  follows : 

1.  Archimedes  limestones. 

2.  Encrinital,  and    Chonetes    limestones,    alternating  with   thin    shaly 
partings. 

3.  Black,  brittle,  bituminous  limestone,  or  marble  rock. 

4.  Black,  bituminous,  hard,  sheety  shale. 

The  exact  relative  thickness  of  these  beds,  remains  yet  to  be  determined ; 
the  two  first  members  are  approximately  50  to  60  feet ;  the  third  member, 
some  15  feet ;  and  the  fourth  member,  from  40  to  60  feet  in  thickness. 

The  superposition  in  "Wiley's  cove,  renders  it  highly  probable  that  the 
black  limestone  of  the  Oil-trough  ridge,  is  also  underlaid  by  a  black  shale, 
which  is  concealed,  however,  beneath  the  alluvium  of  White  river,  the 
black  soil  of  which  is  partly  derived  from  it,  and,  in  part,  from  the  wash- 
ings of  the  subcarboniferous  limestones  of  the  Oil- trough  ridge.  This  is 
rendered  still  more  probable,  from  the  fact  of  dark  shales  and  shaly  lime- 
stones occurring  under  the  same  black  limestones  of  the  subcarboniferous 
group  in  Shield's  bluff,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  section  given  of  that  hill,  in 
a  previous  part  of  this  Report,  under  the  head  of  "  Independence  county." 
In  the  centre  of  Wiley's  cove,  the  grey  beds  of  Archimedes  limestone  lie 
from  100  to  125  feet  above  the  general  level  of  the  farms,  and  the  top  of  the 
black  shale  and  base  of  the  black  marble  at  60  to  70  feet  above  the  same 
level. 

There  is  abundance  of  black  chert,  strewed  in  the  water-courses  of  the 
cove,  which  approaches  very  nearly  to  the  character  and  appearance  of 
the  black  flints,  found  in  the  chalk  formation  of  Europe  ;  these  appear  to 
originate  as  segregations  or  concretions  in  the  limestones,  overlying  the 
black  shales,  which,  being  more  difficult  of  decomposition  than  their 
matrix,  remain  as  gravel,  while  the  imbedding  rock,  itself,  has  become  a 
part  of  the  rich,  black  soil  of  the  cove.  This  is  derived,  in  part,  from 
the  subcarboniferous  limestone,  and,  in  part,  from  the  black  shale. 

The  deep  mud  holes  in  the  road  which  leads  up  through  the  cove,  have 
been  washed  out  of  and  worked  into  the  tenacious  clay,  derived  from  the 
disintegration  of  the  black  slate,  and  accumulated  at  the  foot  of  the 
surrounding  hills. 

Half  a  mile  beyond  Wiley's  cove,  the  black  slate  forms  the  bed  of  the 
Owl  or  Middle  fork  of  Little  Red  river,  with  hard,  heavy,  dark,  ferruginous 


78  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE. 

calcareous  bands  locally  interstratified  amongst  the  layers,  exposed  in  the 
north-east  bank  of  that  stream. 

At  the  crossing  of  a  branch,  five  miles  south-east  of  Burrowsville,  the 
subcarboniferous  limestones  alternate  with  sandstone  and  grey  fossilifer- 
ous  shale,  underlaid  by  some  50  feet  of  flaggy  sandstone,  resting  on  the 
dark  shales  which  crop  out  about  half  a  mile  down  the  branch,  to  the  left 
of  the  road.  The  gray  fossiliferous  shale,  to  the  right  of  the  road,  lies 
about  85  feet  above  the  base  of  the  flaggy  sandstones ;  above  this  are 
alternations  of  sandstone  and  grey  limestones,  while  on  the  slope  of  the 
adjacent  hillsides,  gravel  of  black  flinty  chert  is  everywhere  strewed. 

Four,  to  four  and  a  half  miles  south-east  of  Burrowsville,  the  sandstone 
overlying  the  black  shale  has  a  disposition  to  split  into  rectangular,  pris- 
matic blocks. 

At  Burrowsville,  the  present  county-seat  of  Searcy  county,  there  is  a 
buff',  flaggy  sandstone,  which  is  quite  fossiliferous ;  some  of  the  layers  are 
charged  with  casts  of  Producta.  The  rock  has  been  quarried  to  a  limited 
extent,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Burrowsville,  and  has  been  used  for 
foundations  and  underpinning  to  buildings,  and  in  the  construction  of 
chimneys. 

North-west  of  Burrowsville,  the  black  shale  was  not  seen ;  the  descent 
from  the  productal  flags  leads  immediately  on  to  chert  and  light-grey 
subcarboniferous  limestone ;  unless,  therefore,  the  black  shale  is  entirely 
concealed  from  view,  the  productal  flags  of  Burrowsville  must  underlie 
the  black  shale,  so  frequently  exposed  in  Wiley's  cove,  and  between  that 
and  Burrowsville.  A  black  slate  is  said  to  be  exposed  in  a  ridge  west  of 
Lebanon,  where  there  is  an  extensive  lick ;  this  locality,  I  have  not  yet 
had  an  opportunity  of  examining. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Lebanon,  on  the  north  bank  of  Bear  creek,  are 
perpendicular  clifts  of  cherty,  subcarboniferous  limestone  ;  one  bed  of 
which  is  nearly  white,  and  of  a  texture  passing  from  granular  into  sub- 
crystalline,  with  large  Spirifers,  allied  to,  but  probably  distinct  from 
Spirifer  striatus,  which  occurs  in  the  same  position  on  the  Rapids  of  the 
Mississippi,  above  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines,  under  the  Archimedes 
beds,  and  above  the  K&okuk  cherty  limestone  containing  Orthis  crenis- 
tria,  which  is  superimposed  on  the  encrinital  beds  of  Burlington.  210 
feet  of  these  cherty  members  of  the  subcarboniferous  limestone  is  exposed 
on  Bear  creek ;  above  the  principal  escarpment  there  is  a  slope  of  100  feet 
more,  where  only  loose  pieces  of  chert  are  visible  amongst  the  vegetation. 

At  the  next  crossing  of  Bear  creek,  vertical  walls  of  cherty  limestone 
are  again  seen,  where  they  dip  4  deg.  to  5  deg.  south-west.  Here  the 


OF   ARKANSAS.  79 


white  Spirifer  bed  was  found  in.  place  90  feet  below  the  top  of  the  ridge 
dividing  the  waters  of  Bear  creek  from  those  of  the  Buffalo  fork  of  White 
river ;  which  is  360  feet  above  that  stream. 

In  this  ridge,  30  feet  of  sandstone  was  found  overlying  cherty  limestones 
of  the  same  character,  and,  no  doubt,  a  continuation  of  the  limestones 
forming  the  Bear  creek  cliffs. 

Greyish-pink  beds  of  this  limestone  extend  down  to  the  water's  edge,  on 
the  north-east  side  of  the  Buffalo  fork,  just  above  the  ford  on  the  road  to 
Carrollton. 

At  Spencer  Adams's  a  Spirifer,  allied  to  the  cuspidatus,  occurs  in  the 
sandstone,  at  an  elevation  of  about  360  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  Buffalo 
fork. 

No  black  shale  was  observed,  in  any  of  the  sections  exposed  on  the 
streams,  in  this  part  of  Searcy  county. 

A  few  hundred  yards,  on  the  north-west  side  of  Mill  creek,  an  abrupt 
dislocation  has  fractured  the  strata  and  thrust  up  the  beds  of  limestone  ; 
which  may  be  traced,  ascending  the  hillside,  on  the  north  side  of  the  road, 
with  abrupt  mural  faces,  resembling  a  dyke  of  basalt. 

Some  lead  ore  has  been  obtained  in  the  crevices  of  the  subcarboniferous 
limestone  along  this  axis  of  disturbance,  and  some  shallow  excavations 
have  been  made  ;  but  these  did  not  yield  ore  sufficient  to  encourage  further 
search. 

The  occurrence  of  this  ore,  adjacent  to  the  axis  of  disturbance  above- 
mentioned,  is,  however,  a  favorable  indication  for  the  discovery  of  a  regu- 
lar lode,  and  more  thorough  and  deeper  explorations  might  lead  to  better 
discoveries. 

"Where  the  Carrollton  road  ascends  the  hill,  about  a  mile  further,  the 
following  section  is  exposed : 

Slope,  with  carboniferous  chert  gravel. 

"White  limestone,  about  20  feet. 

Encrinital  limestone,  30  feet. 

Red  and  pink  limestones,  or  marble  rock,  15  feet. 

Vein  of  ore  containing  iron  and  manganese  ? 

Coarse-textured  limestone. 

Variegated  white  and  pink  beds,  some  of  the  lower  layers  of  which, 
for  40  to  50  feet,  have  a  structure  similar  to  that  of  lithographic  lime- 
stone. 

The  strata  exposed  below  the  chert  slope,  amount  in  all  to  about  120 
feet.  The  summit  of  the  ridge  passed  over  is  470  feet  above  Mill  creek, 
but  in  the  300  feet  above  the  base  of  the  chert  slope,  little  else  can  be 
seen  but  gravel  of  this  material. 


80  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

Specimens  of  soils  were  collected  from  this  county,  on  the  farm  of  Albert 
Dugger,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Dry  fork  of  Clear  creek.  The  growth  is 
black-jack  and  hickory,  with  an  undergrowth  of  sumach  and  hazel.  This 
soil  will  average  about  40  bushels  of  corn,  and  25  bushels  of  oats  to  the 
acre. 

On  the  divide  between  the  Buffalo  fork  and  the  waters  of  the  Dry  fork  of 
Clear  creek,  the  surface  is  strewed  with  a  sharp  chert  gravel,  overlying  a 
pinkish  limestone,  occupying  probably  the  place  of  the  marble  rock  of  Ma- 
rion and  Carroll  counties.  Limestones  of  a  similar  character  reappear  in 
the  descent  of  the  ridge,  towards  the  waters  of  the  Dry  fork,  associated  with 
a  semi-oolitic  variety  of  calciferous  sand  rock,  perhaps  of  silurian  date. 

I  have,  as  yet,  found  no  conclusive  evidence  to  enable  me  to  form  a  de- 
cided opinion  as  to  the  age  of  the  marble  limestones  of  north-west  Arkan- 
sas ;  but  if  they  should,  by  subsequent  observations,  prove  to  be  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  Ouondaga  limestone  of  the  New  York  system,  then  it  is 
doubtful  whether  there  are  any  rocks  belonging  to  the  upper  silurian  divi- 
sion in  the  western  part  of  Searcy  county,  as  the  marble  formation  seems 
to  rest  immediately  on  rocks  of  the  lower  silurian  period. 

Some  sandstone  is  interstratified  with  the  limestones  of  the  Dry  fork  of 
Clear  creek ;  but  these  sandstones  are  older  than  the  productal  sandstone 
of  Burrowsville,  in  Van  Buren  county. 

The  pink  limestones  are  more  earthy  than  the  limestones  occupying  the 
same  geological  horizon  in  the  central  portion  of  Van  Buren  county. 


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OF   ARKANSAS. 


81 


NEWTON    COUNTY. 


No.  9.— BOUND-TOP  TEAK  OF  THE  JUDAII  MOUNTAIN  OP  THE  BOSTON  RANGE,  TAKEN  FROM  JASPER, 
THE  COUNTY  SEAT  OF  NEWTON  COUNTY. 


This  is  one  of  the  most  mountainous  counties  of  Arkansas.  Several  of 
the  most  conspicuous  peaks  of  the  Boston  range  attain  here  an  elevation 
of  more  than  1,000  feet  above  the  general  drainage  of  the  country. 

The  wood-cut  sketch  at  the  head  of  this  section,  represents  one  of  these 
peaks  as  seen  from  Jasper,  the  county  seat  of  N"ewton  County,  and  known 
under  the  name  of  the  Round-top  peak  of  the  Judah  mountain  of  the 
Boston  range. 

On  the  21st  of  June,  1858,  I  set  out  with  the  intention  of  measuring  the 
elevation  of  this  peak  above  the  Hudson  fork  of  Buffalo,  but  was  pre- 
vented from  accomplishing  my  object  by  a  violent  thunderstorm,  which  I 
encountered  about  one-third  of  the  distance  up  this  mountain,  and  my 
limited  time  induced  me  to  postpone  its  further  ascent  until  the  detailed 

G 


82  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

survey  was  undertaken.  The  encrinital  and  marble  limestones  are  well 
exposed  in  the  bed  of  the  Dry  branch,  near  the  foot  of  the  Judah  peak, 
north  of  Jasper. 

The  strata  exposed  immediately  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  fork  of 
Buffalo,  below  Jasper,  are  alternations  of  limestone  and  sandstone.  The 
sandstone  has  a  peculiar  porous  or  honey-comb  structure  ;  on  this  rests  a 
light  bluish-gray  limestone.  Near  the  mouth  of  this  stream,  a  high  escarp- 
ment of  sandstone  and  limestone  forms  a  prominent  feature  in  the  land- 
scape ;  most  of  the  ledges  are  probably  of  lower  silurian  date,  but  the  per- 
pendicular nature  of  this  cliff,  prevented  a  critical  examination  of  the 
individual  members  at  this  point. 

Further  down  Buffalo  fork,  at  the  mouth  of  Cave  creek,  rocks  still  lower 
in  the  series,  but  belonging  to  the  same  group,  are  exposed ;  indeed,  if  the 
hard  quartzose  sandstone,  which  forms  the  base  of  the  bluffs  at  this  place, 
belongs,  as  there  is  reason  to  believe,  to  the  age  of  the  Potsdam  sandstone 
of  the  New  York  system,  then  there  is,  at  this  point,  a  greater  elevation 
of  the  geological  formations  than  at  any  locality  in  northern  Arkansas ; 
and  we  must  look  here  for  one  of  the  principal  anticlinal  axes  of  Searcy 
county.  x 

By  reference  to  a  map  of  Arkansas,  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  two 
main  branches  of  White  river  take  their  rise  amongst  these  high  peaks  of 
Newton  and  Madison  counties  ;  the  longest  branch,  deflected  around  this 
great  axis  of  upheaval,  pursues  a  circuitous  course  through  the  latter 
county  into  Benton  county,  and  thence  making  a  great  sweep  to  the  north, 
traverses  Barry  and  Taney  counties,  in  Missouri,  before  it  again  waters 
the  State  of  Arkansas,  in  the  northeast  corner  of  Carroll ;  while  the 
smaller  branch,  taking  a  more  direct  course  to  the  north-east,  through 
deep  gorges  of  the  mountains,  empties  into  the  main  fork  in  the  south- 
west corner  of  Fulton.  The  geographical  features  of  the  country  are 
thus  strongly  impressed  by  geological  forces,  that  date  back  to  a  period 
long  previous  to  the  existence  of  the  water  courses,  which  now  conform  to 
the  contour  of  this  disturbed  country. 

Lead  ore  has  been  found  in  several  places  in  Newton  county,  as  on  Big 
creek  and  other  branches  of  the  Buffalo  and  Hudson  fork  of  White  river : 
but  the  only  attempt  at  tracing  this  ore  to  its  origin  in  the  rock  formations, 
was  undertaken  near  the  line  between  sections  1  and  2,  of  township  15 
north,  range  19  west,  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  Cave  creek,  adjoining 
Hill's  mill-tract.  At  this  place  Jesse  Gunt  explored  for  lead  ore,  and 
finally  sunk  a  shaft  of  forty-five  feet.  He  obtained  some  60  to  70  pounds 
of  lead  ore,  but  finally  abandoned  the  prospect.  He  might  have  been 
more  successful,  had  he  made  search  in  the  calcareous  rocks  that  lie  higher 


OF    ARKANSAS.  83 


in  the  adjacent  hills,  instead  of  prospecting,  as  he  did,  over  the  platform 
of  sandstone  which  forms  the  base  of  the  bluffs  on  this  part  of  the  Buffalo 
fork  of  "White  river,  as  will  appear  from  the  two  following  sections  taken 
near  the  mouth  of  Cave  creek  : 

Heights  above  the  Buffalo  fork  of  White  river. 

545.  Top  of  chert  slope. 

500.  Slope  with  chert. 

440.  Loose  grey  chert  in  continuation  of  slope. 

430.  Reddish  grey  sandstone. 

415.  Reddish  sandstone  with  chert  segregations. 

400.  Reddish  sandstone  with  stalactitic  structure. 

370.  Chert  masses. 

335.  Bench  of  yellowish -white  sandstone. 

300.  Rolled  blocks  of  sandstone  under  the  above  bench. 

270.  Obscure  ledges  of  sandstone. 

255.  Hard  grey  siliceous  sandstone. 

250.       "          "  "          " 

200.       "          "          "          "          in  loose  blocks  in  slope. 

130.  Hard  grey  sandstone. 

90.  Hard,  white  quartzose  sandstone,  rusty  in  the  joints,  but  white  inter- 
nally in  the  substance  of  the  mass. 

50.  Hard,  white,  quartzose  sandstone. 

25.       "  "  "  " 

15.       "  "  "  u 

6.  Grey  siliceous  (?)  limestone. 

1.  Hard,  white,  quartzose  sandstone,  possessing  a  sub-oolitic  structure. 
In  this  section  very  little  limestone  appears,  though  some  ledges  may  be 
concealed  in  the  slope,  since  about  half  a  mile  north-west  of  the  mouth 
of  Cave  creek,  the  following  section  was  obtained  above  the  main  plat- 
form of  hard,    quartzose  sandstone,  which  forms  an  escarpment  on  the 
north  side  of  Buffalo  : 
340.  Slope  with  chert  masses  of  40  feet. 
200.  Bench  of  brown,  ferruginous  sandstone. 
290.  Encrinital  chert  and  sandstone. 
270.  Bench  of  white  sandstone  6  feet  exposed. 
250.  Slope  with  chert. 
235.  Reddish  grey  siliceous  limestone. 
215.  Grey.  "  " 

180.  Checkered  calcareous  sandstone. 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


The  chert  slope  at  340  feet  in  this  section  is  nearly  on  a  level  with  the 
chert  slope  of  the  previous  section.  This  formation  seems  to  cap  gene- 
rally the  subordinate  ridges  from  500  to  550  feet  above  Buffalo,  but  there 
are  other  ridges,  off  to  the  south,  which  must  be  nearly  double  this  height. 

The  rocks  which  constitute  the  preceding  sections,  have  the  lithological 
aspect  and  chemical  composition  of  the  rocks  which  form  the  hills  on  both 
sides  of  the  Upper  Mississippi,  between  the  mouth  of  the  Chippewa  and 
Black  river,  and  around  Lake  Pepin,  referrible  to  the  age  of  the  Potsdam 
sandstone  and  calciferous  sand-rock  of  the  New  York  system. 

Geology  being  decidedly  a  science  of  comparison  and  analogy,  I  may 
venture  to  predict,  in  the  absence  of  all  systematic  mining  operations, 
from  my  former  experience  in  other  similarly  constructed  countries  of  the 
north-west,  as  well  as  from  what  has  already  been  observed  in  Marion  and 
Carroll  counties,  in  Arkansas,  that  lead  ore  will  be  found,  to  some  extent, 
in  the  rocks  of  Newton  county ;  but,  in  all  probability,  somewhat  irregularly 
disseminated  in  "  pockets,"  "  crevices,"  "  strings,"  and  horizontal  openings 
through  the  rocks,  rather  than  in  regular  bodies ;  hence,  mining  operations 
will  be  attended  with  some  uncertainty,  and  considerable  labor  and 
expense;  still,  where  the  surface  indications  are  encouraging,  and  the 
calcareous  rocks  predominate  over  the  sandstones,  they  may  be  undertaken 
by  those  having  the  necessary  experience  in  rocks  of  this  description,  with 
considerable  prospect  of  success,  so  soon  as  the  district  is  supplied  with 
furnaces  for  smelting  the  ore  ;  but  not  with  as  much  profit  to  the  miner  as 
in  a  cherty  limestone,  a  member  of  the  subcarboniferous  formation,  which 
we  shall  have  occasion  to  mention  hereafter. 

In  consequence  of  the  southerly  dip  of  the  rocks,  most  of  the  strata  of 
the  preceding  sections  disappear  in  succession  beneath  the  waters  of  Cave 
creek,  as  we  ascend  that  stream. 

On  the  waters  of  Cave  creek,  about  six  miles  above  its  mouth,  a  liver- 
colored  marble-limestone  forms  the  base  of  a  cliff,  at  an  elevation  of  10  to 
20  feet  above  the  bed  of  Cave  creek,  overlaid  by  cherty  limestone.  Several 
nitre-caves  have  been  formed  by  the  disintegration  of  the  liver-colored 
marble  limestone  under  the  cherty  limestone.  The  principal  nitre-cave  is 
on  the  property  of  J.  S.  Thompson,  on  section  27,  township  15  north, 
range  19  west. 

The  dark  brown  nitre-earth,  which  forms  the  floor  of  this  cave,  is  rich 
in  salts  of  nitric  acid,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  large  quantity  of  organic 
matter  incorporated  with  the  earth.  The  nitre-earth  has  been  traced  for 
50  to  60  yards  back  into  the  cave,  and  for  7  to  8  feet  in  depth,  mixed  with 
tumbled  rock. 

Time  has  permitted,  as  yet,  only  a  partial  qualitative  examination  of 


OF    ARKANSAS.  85 


this  saltpetre  earth,  which  shows  it  to  be  rich  in  nitre  salts,  associated 
with  abundance  of  sulphate  of  lime. 

From  a  hopper  of  this  earth,  containing  about  200  bushels,  1000  pounds 
of  salt-petre  have  been  obtained,  after  being  treated  with  lye,  and  crystal- 
lized by  evaporation  in  kettles,  in  a  very  rude  manner.  This  would  be 
equal  to  about  5  pounds  to  the  bushel.  But  it  is  estimated,  that  there  must 
have  been  a  loss  of  at  least  one-third  from  leakage,  overflow  of  the  receiv- 
ing trough  during  rainy  weather,  and  other  causes. 

When  the  quantitative  analysis  of  this  earth  shall  have  been  completed, 
we  shall  be  able  to  give  a  more  precise  estimate  of  the  per  centage  of 
nitre-salts  which  it  actually  contains. 

It  appears  that  this  cave  must  have  been  once  the  habitation  of  the 
aboriginees,  since  not  only  bones  of  men,  animals,  and  birds,  such  as  the 
buffalo,  deer,  and  turkey,  have  been  found,  on  removing  the  earth ;  but  even 
the  entire  skeleton  of  an  infant,  enveloped  in  rags,  and  lying  in  a  willow- 
basket.  The  bones  are  frequently  found  under  a  bed  of  ashes.  A  polished 
ivory  breast  dirk,  with  three  holes  in  it,  for  the  attachment  of  a  handle, 
and  a  long  piece  of  rope,  were  also  found  in  this  cave,  together  with  a 
broken  sea  shell  (Pyrula). 

There  is  reason  to  believe,  too,  from  these  and  other  relics  and  appear- 
ances in  the  cave,  that  it  has  been  worked,  to  a  limited  extent,  for  nitre, 
in  the  early  settlement  of  the  country. 

The  accumulation  of  organic  matter,  mixed  with  the  earth  of  this  cave, 
is  so  profuse  that  it  emits  a  strong  ammoniacal  odor,  wherever  it  has 
been  stirred  up  and  recently  exposed  by  excavations.  I  infer,  from  the 
presence  of  animal  exuviae — one  of  the  chief  requisites  for  the  formation 
of  nitre-salts — as  well  as  from  the  approximate  results  obtained  by  the 
rude  method  hitherto  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  saltpetre  on  Cave 
creek,  that  the  earth  of  the  Thompson  saltpetre  cave  contains  a  larger 
per  centage  of  nitre-salts  than  any  of  the  nitre-earths  hitherto  reported 
on  ;  at  least,  that  part  accumulated  within  150  feet  of  the  mouth  of  the 
cave. 

Beyond  this,  where  the  cave  becomes  low  and  contracted  in  its  dimen- 
sions, for  a  limited  distance,  the  earth  will,  probably,  not  be  found  as 
strongly  impregnated  with  organic  matter,  and,  therefore,  proportionally 
less  productive  in  saltpetre. 

This  cave  has  several  branches,  which  have  been  followed  for  some 
hundred  yards  ;  these  may  also  contain  some  nitre-earth ;  but  as  the  floor 
is  covered  with  large  blocks  of  tumbled  rock,  the  underlying  earths  are 
not  accessible  without  considerable  labor. 


86  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

A  peculiar  fatty  or  oily  principle  seems  to  be  extracted  with  the  nitre- 
salts,  during  the  leaching  of  the  earth,  which,  according  to  J.  S.  Thompson, 
rises  in  the  form  of  a  greasy  scum  to  the  surface,  during  the  progress  of 
the  evaporation,  and  is  capable  of  saponification  with  alkalies. 

The  quantity  of  organic  matter  was  too  small,  in  the  amount  of  earth 
subjected  to  qualitative  examination  in  the  laboratory,  to  be  appreciable  ; 
we  are,  therefore,  still  left  to  conjecture,  from  the  accounts  given  of  the 
nature  of  this  substance,  what  it  may  prove  to  be.   If  it  is  capable  of  form- 
ing a  soap  with  lye,  as  represented,  we  should  suppose  it  to  be  one  of  the 
oily  acids  ;  but,  as  these  are  insoluble  in  water,  they  could  not  be  taken  up 
by  the  water  used  to  extract  the  soluble  salts  from  the  earth  in  their  un- 
combined  state,  as  this  fatty  principle  seems  to  have  been  ;  nor  do  we  un- 
derstand how  it  could  be  so  readily  washed  off  the  hand  by  simple  water, 
as  we  understand  the  substance  in  question  to  have  been.     Glycerine,  it  is 
true,  is  a -component  of  many  fats,  which,  when  set  free,  is  miscible  with 
water ;  but  this  is  a  basic,  organic  compound,  which  does  not  form  true 
soaps  ;  neither  has  it  the  greasy  feel  which  the  substance  contained  in  the 
nitre  earth  is  said  to  have.     It  is  more  probable  that  it  may  be  some  com- 
bination of  one  of  the  known  oily  acids,  with  ammonia,  which  is  soluble 
in  water,  as  a  kind  of  ammoniacal  soap  ;  from  this,  when  subsequently  de- 
composed by  the  addition  of  lye,  the  ammonia  may  be  set  free,  while  the 
stronger  alkali,  taking  its  place,  combines  with  the  fatty  acid  to  form  a 
soap,  which  finally  rises  to  the  surface,  when  the  liquor  becomes  sufficiently 
concentrated.     This  is  rendered  more  probable,  since  by  the  addition  of 
caustic  lye  to  this  earth,  ammonia  is  evolved. 

It  seems  likely  that  the  animal  matters,  present  in  this  earth,  may  un- 
dergo a  gradual  change  in  their  native  bed,  similar  to  that  which  pro- 
duces adipocere,  but  resulting  in  the  combination  of  margaric,  or  some  of 
the  other  oily  acids,  with  ammonia,  which  is  more  soluble  in  water  than 
that  substance. 

We  have  several  pounds  of  this  earth  still  on  hand,  and  may  be  able, 
hereafter,  to  determine  the  nature  of  this  organic  principle,  if  it  exists  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  be  separable,  so  that  it  can  be  subjected  to  the  neces- 
sary tests  for  its  determination  ;  if  not,  we  must  trouble  Mr.  Thompson  to 
collect,  the  next  time  he  has  occasion  to  make  saltpetre,  some  of  this  sub- 
stance from  his  kettles,  for  future  special  investigation. 

About  a  mile  below  J.  S.  Thompson's,  an  escarpment  of  silico-calcareous 
beds  runs  along  the  western  borders  of  Cave  creek,  the  lower  layers  of 
which,  decaying  faster  than  the  superincumbent  mass,  have  formed  a  deep 
recess  beneath  overhanging  ledges.  One  of  the  early  settlers  in  this  part 


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C/3 

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CD 


CJ 
O 


OF   ARKANSAS.  87 


of  Newton  county,  has  taken  advantage  of  this  natural  rock-house,  to 
make  it  serve  as  a  roof,  back,  and  part  of  the  side  walls  to  a  house ;  closing 
in  the  south  front  with  pine  slabs,  on  either  side  of  a  stone  chimney,  and 
cutting  two  doors  and  windows,  he  has  managed  to  construct,  at  little  ex- 
pense and  labor,  a  long,  narrow  room,  about  8  by  30  feet,  in  which  I  found 
two  families,  numbering  8  to  10  persons  residing  at  the  time  of  my  visit. 
Though  somewhat  contracted  in  the  back  part  of  the  apartment,  from  the 
sloping  nature  of  the  ceiling  to  the  north ;  still  as  the  overhanging  ledges 
are  sound  and  impervious  to  water,  this  half-natural  and  half-artificial 
dwelling,  I  found  more  comfortable  than  many  log  cabins  met  with  in  the 
Western  States. 

Plate  'No.  10,  is  a  sketch  of  this  rock-house  dwelling,  taken  from  the 
south-east. 

The  primeval  forest  and  vegetation  surmounting  the  entablature  of  the 
vestibule,  reminded  me  forcibly  of  some  of  those  remarkable  habitations 
exhumed  by  the  enterprise  of  Stephens,  in  Yucatan,  which  have  been  BO 
interestingly  and  ably  described  by  him,  and  beautifully  depicted  by 
the  artist  Catherwood.  Many  of  these,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  large 
trees  growing  on  the  roof,  and  were  often  so  completely  concealed  by  dense 
jungle,  that  they  were  only  disclosed  by  the  use  of  the  machete,  axe,  and 
shovel. 


CARROLL    COUNTY-CONTINUED. 

The  marble  limestone  is  well  developed  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Car- 
roll county,  as  well  as  in  adjacent  sections  of  land  in  Newton,  Searcy,  and 
Marion  counties.  On  Marshall's  creek  it  is  underlaid  by  a  sandstone,  mostly 
white,  soft,  and  possessing  the  saccharoidal  character  of  the  sandstone 
observed  under  the  cavernous  limestones  of  Lafferty  creek,  in  the  north- 
western part  of  Independence  County,  and  no  doubt,  occupies  the  same 
geological  horizon  as  the  sandstone  represented  in  plate  4,  overlying  the 
lead-bearing  rocks  of  the  eastern  part  of  this  county,  and  the  western  part 
of  Marion. 

The  block  of  marble  sent  from  Arkansas,  to  be  placed  in  the  national 
•Washington  monument,  was  quarried  near  the  corner  of  Carroll  and 
Newton  counties. 

At  a  tan-yard  on  Davis'  creek,  I  saw  a  slab  of  this  rock  eight  feet  by  two 
and  a  half,  which  had  been  got  out  for  a  currier's  table.  The  predomi- 
nating" color  of  this  rock  is  gray,  mottled  and  clouded  with  liver-colored 
spots  and  stains.  This  slab  was  dressed  smooth,  but  not  polished  ;  when 


88  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

wet  it  exhibited,  however,  the  hues  and  appearance  which  it  would  pos- 
sess, if  polished,  and  gave  one  a  better  idea  of  its  tints  and  the  variegated 
aspect  of  its  surface,  than  could  be  obtained  from  an  inspection  of  the  rock 
in  its  native  bed.  The  coloring  matter  is  due  to  oxide  of  iron,  irregularly 
distributed  in  the  mass,  and  in  that  high  state  of  oxidation  and  allotropic 
condition  in  which  it  is  but  little  disposed  to  unite  with  nitric  acid,  even  at 
a  boiling  temperature.  At  a  future  period,  we  intend  submitting  a  chemi- 
cal analysis  of  this  marble  limestone,  which  will  give  the  per  centage  of 
metallic  oxide  that  enters  as  a  coloring  principle  into  the  composition  of 
this  rock,  which  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  mineral  pro- 
ductions of  this  part  of  Arkansas. 

It  had  been  supposed,  that  oxide  of  manganese  entered  into  the  compo- 
sition of  this  material,  but  the  specimen  submitted  to  a  qualitative  chemi- 
cal examination  for  this  metallic  oxide,  gave  no  indication  of  its  presence, 
although  the  test  applied  is  so  extremely  delicate,  that  it  will  distinctly 
indicate  even  the  minute  trace  of  manganese  found  in  some  specimens  of 
white  Carrara  marble. 

The  conspicuous  range  of  hills,  lying  partly  in  Carroll  and  partly  in 
Newton  county,  whose  northern  terminus  bounds  the  Marshall  prairie,  on 
the  south,  is  composed  of  two  flanking  peaks,  and  a  central  flat-topped 
ridge. 

The  most  southerly  of  these  conical  peaks  is  known  b^  the  name  of  the 
"  Pilot  mountain  ;"  the  northern  one  is  called  the  "  Stack  mountain  ;"  while 
the  middle  ridge  has  received  the  name  of  the  "Boat  mountain,"  from  its 
fancied  resemblance  to  a  boat,  rising  out  of  the  adjacent  prairie,  like  some 
gigantic  water-craft  resting  on  the  ocean. 

The  view  represented  by  wood-cut  ISTo.  12,  was  taken  on  the  edge  of  the 
Marshall  prairie,  near  the  corner  of  the  three  counties  of  Carroll,  Newton, 
and  Searcy,  and  exhibits  the  Boat  mountain  in  the  background,  flanked 
on  the  left  by  Pilot  mountain,  and  on  the  right  by  the  Stack  mountain. 

The  indistinct  terrace  seen  towards  the  summit  of  the  Boat  mountain 
is  formed  by  cliffs  of  conglomerate,  partly  concealed  by  trees  and  vegeta- 
tion, and  forms  the  highest  bench  of  prominent  sandstone  in  this  moun- 
tain. 

The  Boat  mountain  rises  to  the  height  of  844  feet  above  Marshall's 
prairie,  at  the  foot  of  the  principal  ascent,  and  1,244  feet  above  our  en- 
campment of  the  23d  of  June,  on  Marshall's  creek.  By  computation,  its 
summit  must  be  about  1,527  feet  above  Little  Red  river,  at  Clinton. 

Black  bituminous  shale  is  in  great  force  at  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
extending  70  feet  up  the  slope,  resting  on  light-gray  limestone,  with  segre- 
gations or  intercalations  of  chert. 


OF    ARKANSAS. 


91 


The  black  shale  has  a  slight  dip  to  the  north-east,  which  will  reduce 
the  thickness  from  70  feet — the  height  from  its  base  to  its  highest  observed 
out-crop — to  40  or  50  feet  of  actual  thickness.  It  has  concretions  of  sep- 
taria,  both  calcareous  and  ferruginous,  disseminated  especially  through 
its  upper  part,  some  of  which  contain  a  considerable  per  centage  of  iron. 
There  are  also  saline  exudations  of  sulphate  of  alumina  and  sulphate  of 
iron,  with,  perhaps,  some  chloride  of  sodium  or  common  salt ;  these  attract 
the  game  and  stock  of  the  country,  which  resort  to  it  as  a  "  lick." 

The  space  between  the  shale  and  the  millstone  grit,  that  forms  the  top 
of  the  mountain,  is  chiefly  occupied  by  alternations  of  sandstones  and 
limestone  belonging  to  the  upper  division  of  the  subcarboniferous  group. 

The  following  section  exhibits  the  succession,  and  relative  approximaet 
thickness,  of  the  principal  rock  formation  of  which  the  Boat  mountain  is 
composed. 


ECTION  OF  BOAT  MOUNTAIN. 


c     I    c 


c    I    c 


I    I 


I    I 


40 


200 


Conglomerate,  forming  the  summit  of  Boat 
mountain,  40  to  50  feet  visible. 


Sandstone  of  the  millstone  grit  series,  two 
hundred  feet  in  thickness. 


The  upper  member  of 
the  millstone  grit  series 
is  here  pebbly,  and  un- 
derlaid by  grits  without 
pebbles;  all  the  members 
together  occupying  a 
thickness  of  nearly  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

These  repose  upon  the 
yellow  upper  strata  of 
the  subcarboniferous 
group,  including  the  Ar- 
chimedes andpentrimital 
beds,  which  are,  however, 
mostly  concealed  by  for- 
est and  vegetation ;  in  all, 
about  one  hundred  and 
sixty  feet  in  thickness. 

Beneath  these,  are 
coarser  -  textured,  and 
subcrystalline  members 
of  the  same  group,  occu- 
pying a  space  of  three 
hundred  and  ten  feet. 

These  coarse-textured, 
subcarboniferous  lime- 


92 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


SECTION  OF  BOAT  MOUNTAIN—  CONTINUED. 

oj 
<c 

Pt4 

|  Inches. 

1 

160 

Sandstone  of  the  millstone  grit  series,  two 
hundred  feet  in  thickness  —  Continued. 

• 

Upper  yellowish  subcarboniferous  limestone, 
including  the  Archimedes  and  encrinital 
limestones,  with  alternations  of  shale  ;  one 
hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  thickness. 

1        1 

1 

I 

1 

1 

1        1 

1        1 

1 

1 

1        1 

1 

£i 

1    L    1 

L            L 

1     I-    1 

L            L 

1    L 

L      |      L 

1    I' 

L            L 

1     L    1 

L      |      L 

1     L    | 

L      |      L 

1     L    | 

L            L 

1     '' 

L      |      L 

1     I- 

L      |      L 

1    I- 

L      |      L 

1     ^ 

L      |      L 

i     *    1 

L      |      L 

stones  are  underlaid  by 
sixty  feet  of  sandstone, 
which  repose  on  the 
black  bituminous  shales 
with  calcareous  and  fer- 
ruginous segregations 
and  septaria,  which  oc- 
cupy a  space  along  the 
slope  of  the  base  of  the 
mountain,  of  sixty  or 
seventy  feet.  The  cor- 
rection for  dip  will,  how- 
ever, probably  reduce  its 
actual  thickness  to  forty 
or  fifty  feet.  This  black 
shale  reposes  on  the 
light-grey  cherty  lime- 
stone, that  constitutes 
the  base  rock  of  Mar- 
shall's prairie,  which  is 
probably  referrible  to  the 
subcarboniferous  era,  be- 
ing a  part  of  the  cherty 
limestone  group  overly- 
ing the  marble  limestone 
on  Cave  creek,  and  else- 
where, in  Newton  and 
Searcy  counties.  It  is 
probable,  that  all  the  high 
ranges  of  hills,  constitu- 
ting the  Boston  mountain 
range  of  Newton  county, 
have  a  geological  struc- 
ture analogous  to  the 
section  here  presented  of 
the  Boat  mountain,  with, 
probably,  some  local  va- 
riations in  the  relative 
thickness  of  the  differ- 
ent members ;  since,  in 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


93 


SECTION  OF  BOAT  MOUNTAIN— CONTINUED. 


I         I 


I        I 


I        I 


310 


Coarse-textured,  and  subcrystalline  mem- 
bers of  the  subcarboniferous  group  ;  three 
hundred  and  ten  feet  in  thickness. 


many  instances,  conglo- 
merate sandstone  has 
been  found,  either  in 
place,  or  in  loose  blocks 
on  the  slopes  and  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountains ; 
detached  masses  have, 
evidently,  rolled  either 
from  the  summit  of  the 
adjacent  hills,  or,  at 
least,  from  elevated  po- 
sitions on  their  flanks. 

The  black  slate  is,  per- 
haps, not  everywhere 
present  as  an  important 
member  of  the  subcar- 
boniferous group,  since 
it  has  not  everywhere 
been  found  at  the  base 
of  these  hills ;  but,  being 
prone  to  crumble  to  clay, 
and  being,  no  doubt, 
sometimes  locally  reduc- 
ed in  thickness  to  a  few 
feet,  it  is  then,  generally, 
completely  concealed  by 
debris,  and  thus  fre- 
quently overlooked. 

The  scenery  in  Carroll 
county,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Boat  mountain,  as 
shown  in  the  wood-cut 
No.  12,  of  Marshall's 
prairie,  has  much  of  the 
same  character  as  the 
prairie  landscapes  in 
Wisconsin  and  Iowa.  It 
is,  decidedly,  a  fine  agri- 
cultural district.  The 
distant  hills,  and  the  roll- 


94 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


SECTION  OF  BOAT  MOUNTAIN—  CONTINUED. 

S 
o 
h 

!D 

13 

"o 

1        1 

60 
.40 

Coarse-textured    and    subcrystalline    mem- 
bers, etc.  —  Continued. 

Sandstone. 

Black  bituminous  shale   with   segregations 
and  septaria. 

Light  grey  cherty  limestone. 
Sandstone. 

1 

1        1 

1 

1 

S      |      8 

S 

S           S 

1    s    | 

S     |      S 

1  S 

S     |      S 

1    s    | 

s    1    s 

S  1 



CL  |   CL 

oij 

<JI,   |   CL 

T"H" 

s        s 

s    1 

ing  character  of  the  sur- 
face, together  with  the 
interspersed  groves  of 
timber,  break  the  other- 
wise monotonous  ap- 
pearance of  some  of  those 
prairie  scenes.  The  prai- 
rie soil,  both  of  the  Mar- 
shall and  Huzza  prairies, 
is  derived  in  part  from 
the  disintegration  of  the 
subcarboniferous  lime- 
stone, sandstones,  and 
shale  of  the  preceding 
section,  and  in  part  of 
the  cherty  limestone  on 
which  it  is  based.  Where 
the  soil  is  mostly,  or  ex- 
clusively, derived  from 
the  latter,  it  usually  pro- 
duces land  supporting 
stunted  oaks,  less  rich 
than  the  preceding  soil, 
and  not  so  well  adapted 
for  wheat,  but  excellent 
for  oats. 

The  descent  from  Mar- 
shall's prairie  to  Crook- 
ed creek,  is  230  feet,  most- 
ly over  chert  derived 


from  the  equivalent  of  the  light-grey  cherty  limestone,  that  underlies  the 
black  bituminous  shale,  at  the  base  of  the  Boat  mountain.  Between 
Marshall's  and  the  Huzza  prairies,  100  to  200  feet  of  sandstone  was  passed 
over,  interstratified  amongst  the  limestone. 

The  ascent  from  the  Big  spring,  on  Crooked  creek,  to  the  Baker  prairie, 
is  270  feet.  The  light-grey  limestone  is  here  again  exposed  with  segre- 
gations of  chert,  and  with  some  encrinites  imbedded  ;  but  the  species  were 
not  distinguishable. 

One  and  a  half  miles  south-east  of  Charles  Hutchison's  farm,  the  fol- 
lowing succession  was  observed  in  a  ravine  : 


OF    ARKANSAS.  95 


1.  Sandstone. 

2.  Chert. 

3.  Light-grey  limestone. 

The  Pilot  Knob,  near  Charles  Hutchison's,  has  the  same  general  geo- 
logical structure  as  the  Boat  mountain. 

Four  and  a  half  miles  from  Carrollton,  the  Archimedes  limestone  was 
observed  with  remains  of  a  dark  shale  over  it.  Under  this  limestone 
comes  in  a  sandstone,  which  has  much  the  appearance  of  that  over  the 
grey  limestone  on  Crooked  creek  ;  it  is  not  likely  that  they  can  occupy  the 
same  geological  horizon,  unless  there  has  been  a  great  thinning  away  of 
the  measures  that  form  the  base  of  the  Boat  mountain. 

Some  loose  pieces  of  conglomerate  were  also  seen  between  four  and  six 
miles  from  Carrollton. 

The  descent  to  Terrapin  and  Long  creeks,  is  about  390  feet ;  in  the  bed 
of  the  former  creek,  entrochital,  cherty  limestone  was  found. 

Along  with  some  yellow  pyrites,  which  was  submitted  to  me  for  exami- 
nation by  the  citizens  of  Carrollton,  there  were  some  specimens  of  a  blu- 
ish-black scoriaceous  ore,  in  some  of  which  I  detected  a  notable  quantity 
of  copper.  This  ore  was  said  to  have  been  obtained  in  the  Childer's 
mountain,  about  seven  miles  west  of  Carrollton,  on  the  waters  of  Corne- 
lius or  Dry  creek.  This  ore  has  the  appearance  of  some  of  the  Duck- 
town  copper  ores  of  Tennessee ;  and,  as  I  found  samples  of  that  variety  of 
Tennessee  copper  ore  in  the  hands  of  the  brother  of  the  individual  who 
brought  the  ore  into  town,  I  thought  it  probable  that  this  might  be  a  sam- 
ple of  Tennessee  ore,  which,  from  inadvertency,  had  been  mixed  and  con- 
founded with  the  pyritiferous  ores  of  the  Childer's  mountain.  On  this 
account,  and  as  the  locality  of  this  ore  was  then  only  known  to  the  indi- 
vidual who  collected  it,  and  he  was  from  home,  I  concluded,  as  my  pro- 
posed route  through  Carroll  county  lay  north-west,  to  request  the  Hon.  "W. 
"W".  "Watkins,  as  soon  as  it  was  convenient  for  him,  to  visit  the  locality  on 
Childer's  mountain  in  company  with  the  discoverer  of  the  ore.  This  he 
afterwards  did,  and  subsequently  addressed  a  letter  to  me,  dated  the  6th 
of  July  last,  in  which  he  states  that  there  was  no  mistake  as  to  the  ore 
having  come  from  the  locality,  since  he  had  now  obtained  specimens  from 
the  mines  himself,  viz.:  on  south-west  quarter  of  section  31,  township  19 
north,  range  23  west,  and  had  forwarded  some  specimens  to  await  my 
arrival  at  Little  Rock.  These  specimens  I  received  at  Little  Rock,  and 
have  now  had  an  opportunity  of  testing  them  for  copper,  in  my  labora- 
tory, by  the  application  of  the  reagents  considered  most  delicate  for 
the  detection  of  that  metal,  without  obtaining  any  copper  reaction.  If 
copper  is  to  be  found  amongst  these  ores,  in  the  Childer's  mountain,  it 
can  be  only  sparingly  and  locally  disseminated. 


96  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

Most  of  this  ore  sent  to  me,  from  this  mountain,  is  a  white  iron  pyrites, 
associated  with  a  hydrated  oxide  of  iron,  in  which  yellow  iron  pyrites  is 
diffused. 

"Where  the  Berryville  road  crosses  the  Childer's  range  of  mountains,  it 
is  elevated  about  370  feet  above  Terrapin  creek.  The  surface  rock,  at  this 
elevation,  is  sandstone,  overlying  cherty  limestone. 

In  the  gap  of  the  Osage  mountain,  the  sandstone  must  be  at  least  130 
feet  in  thickness. 

About  11  miles  north-west  of  Carrollton,  and  three  and  a  half  miles  from 
"W.  Jones's,  on  the  divide  between  Scott's  prairie  and  Prairie  township, 
magnesian  limestones,  probably  of  lower  silurian  date,  crop  out,  which 
are  separated  from  the  limestone  and  sandstone  of  the  Osage  mountain, 
by  crisp  chert.  The  upper  beds  of  this  lower  formation  have  the  same 
earthy  character  and  checkered  appearance  on  the  surface,  as  the  strata 
which  form  the  lower  portion  of  the  hills  in  township  19  north,  range  17 
west,  and  on  Fallen-timber  creek,  in  Marion  county,  and  are,  no  doubt, 
of  the  same  age.  Some  of  these  limestones  probably  possess  hydraulic 
properties.  This  change  in  the  formations  is  accompanied  by  a  corre- 
sponding change  in  the  growth,  which  consists  of  small  oaks,  interspersed 
in  groves  on  the  hillsides,  with  a  thick  undergrowth  of  sumach  and  black- 
berries. 

Here,  as  in  Marion  county,  numerous  springs  of  water  issue  from 
amongst  these  earthy,  magnesian  limestones,  and,  flowing  down  the  slopes 
render  the  roads  wet  and  miry. 

The  crisp  chert,  which  occurs  on  this  side  of  Scott's  prairie,  has  a  differ- 
ent lithological  appearance  from  that  associated  with  the  subcarboniferous 
rocks  on  the  south-east  side  of  the  same  prairie,  and  occupies  probably  a 
lower  geological  position. 

The  hills  about  "W.  Jones's  are  composed  of  the  same  description  of 
magnesian  limestones,  and  crisp  chert,  with  some  associate  sandstone. 
About  midway  of  the  hills,  the  so-called  "  cotton  rock"  is  found :  a  white, 
close-textured  variety  of  magnesian  limestone,  which  is  used  for  under- 
pinning the  houses  and  building  the  external  walls  of  chimneys.  If  placed 
exposed  to  the  direct  heat  of  the  fire,  it  is  apt  to  crack  and  give  way ; 
therefore,  for  the  inside  lining  of  fire-places,  another  bed  is  preferred 
which  lies  higher  in  the  hills;  this  is,  however,  judging  from  its  external 
appearance,  a  purer  limestone,  and,  though  it  may  not  be  so  liable  to 
crack  by  heat,  it  will  certainly  be  more  easily  burnt  to  lime.  Hereafter 
an  analysis  of  these  rocks  will  be  made. 

Several  intercalated  bands  of  sandstone  occur  in  the  hills  in  this  part  of 
Carroll  county ;  most  of  them  are  below  the  level  of  the  "  cotton  rock." 


OF  ARKANSAS.  97 


The  formations  here  appear  to  be  of  the  same  character  and  age  as 
those  in  the  lead  region  of  the  eastern  part  of  this  county,  and  the  west- 
ern part  of  Marion,  already  described  in  the  first  part  of  this  Report;  it  is 
probable,  from  this  analogy  in  the  two  regions,  that  lead  ore  will  be  found, 
to  some  extent,  disseminated  in  pockets  in  the  calcareous  members,  in 
the  same  manner  as  it  occurs  in  the  Coka  and  Mitchell  diggings. 

Four  of  the  most  conspicuous  hills  of  the  Osage  range,  in  the  north- 
west part  of  Carroll  county,  insight  of  Berryville,  have  received  the  names 
of  the  "  Sister,"  "  Grandfather,"  and  "  Indigo"  knobs.  The  Sister  hill, 
nearest  to  Berryville,  gave  a  height  of  370  feet  above  the  Berryville 
branch  of  King's  river.  The  summit  rocks  on  this  hill  are  the  red,  varie- 
gated, and  encrinital  marble  limestones;  but  most  of  the  layers  on  this  hill 
appear  to  be  too  earthy,  and  too  prone  to  decomposition  for  ornamental 
outside  work. 

The  "  Fire-stone  "  was  found  in  place  about  15  feet  from  the  top,  and 
the  "  Cotton-rock"  towards  the  base  of  the  principal  ascent,  at  an  eleva 
tion  of  about  70  to  80  feet  above  the  branch  from  which  the  levels  were 
taken. 

In  sighting  with  the  level,  across  from  the  Sister  to  the  Grand-father 
knob,  a  bench  of  rock  was  observed,  cropping  out  about  80  or  100  feet 
from  the  top,  corresponding,  in  level  and  position,  to  the  red,  variegated, 
and  encrinital  limestones  that  crown  the  Sister-hill.  By  computation,  the 
Grandfather-peak  must  be  nearly  100  feet  higher  than  the  Sister-hill. 

The  succession  of  the  different  beds  of  rock,  forming  the  hills  in  Prairie 
township,  as  far  as  they  have  yet  been  observed,  is  as  follows: 

1.  Subcarboniferous  chert. 

2.  Sandstone. 

3.  Light-grey,  subcarboniferous  limestone. 

4.  Chert. 

5.  Encrinital,  pink  and  red  limestones;  the  place  of  the  marble  rock. 

6.  Sandstone;  about  70  feet  in  thickness. 

7.  Chert. 

8.  Magnesian  limestone  and  sandstone. 

9.  "  Cotton-rock,"  a  variety  of  magnesian  limestone. 

10.  Magnesian  limestones,  some  of  which,  probably,  possess  hydraulic 

properties. 

Three  or  four  pounds  of  lead  ore  are  reported  to  have  been  found  adja- 
cent to  the  town  of  Berryville,  on  land  owned  by  Berry.  The  remarks 
previously  made  in  regard  to  the  lead  region  of  the  eastern  part  of  Car- 
roll county,  will  apply  also  to  Prairie  township. 

Five  miles  north-west  of  Berryville,  on  the  Osage,  is  a  locality  worthy 
7 


98  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

the  attention  of  the  iron  manufacturer.  Iron  is  found  here  in  quantities 
which  might  be  sufficient  to  supply  a  smelting  furnace.  An  attempt  was 
made,  in  this  vicinity,  to  establish  iron  \vorks;  but,  in  consequence  of  the 
death  of  Belcher,  one  of  the  principal  parties  interested,  the  enterprise 
was  never  fully  carried  out. 

In  the  high  ridge  dividing  the  waters  of  the  Osage  fork  of  King's  river 
from  Piney,  the  succession  was  as  follows: 

1.  Cherty  sandstone. 

2.  Encrinital  limestones. 

3.  A  great  mass  of  chert,  replaced  sometimes  by  sandstone. 

4.  Magnesian  limestones,  interstratified  with  some  sandstone. 

At  Stevens'  mill,  on  Piney  creek,  the  encrinital  limestone  is  underlaid 
by  60  to  80  feet  of  sandstone. 

The  soil,  derived  from  the  cherty  sandstone,  forming  the  summit  of  the 
above  "divide,"  supports  a  growth  of  pine. 

On  the  ridge  between  Piney  creek  and  the  Dry  fork  of  King's  river,  the 
strata  of  the  preceding  section  appear  to  have  dipped  considerably 
towards  the  south-west,  so  that  they  lie  lower  in  the  ridges,  and  are  capped 
with  white,  subcarboniferous  limestone  and  sandstone,  overlying  the  cherty 
sandstone  of  the  preceding  section. 

In  descending  from  these  strata  to  the  Howard  farm,  on  the  Dry  fork  of 
King's  river,  a  great  mass  of  chert  was  passed  over. 

No  black  shale  was  visible  in  any  of  the  sections  in  this  part  of  Carroll 
county. 

The  rock  in  the  bed  of  the  Dry  fork  of  King's  river,  at  Howard's  farm, 
is  light-grey  limestone  and  chert,  at  least  50  feet  in  thickness,  and 
apparently  of  subcarboniferous  date;  but,  if  so,  there  must  be  a  rapid  dip 
of  the  strata  between  the  Piney  and  Dry  forks  of  King's  river. 

Some  lead  ore  is  said  to  have  been  plowed  up  in  Howard's  field. 

A  large  spirifer  was  found  in  the  limestone  of  the  Dry  fork,  allied  to 
Spirifer  striatus,  and  casts  of  Orthis  crinistria  in  the  overlying  chert,  both 
of  which  species  belong  to  the  subcarboniferous  era,  and,  therefore  indicate 
the  age  of  these  rocks. 

In  passing  from  the  Dry  fork  to  the  main  branch  of  King's  river,  a  ridge 
of  about  330  feet  in  height  was  passed  over.  At  the  base  of  this  ridge,  is 
the  aforementioned  light-grey  limestone,  50  feet  or  more  in  thickness;  over 
this  is  a  slope  of  chert,  containing  casts  of  Orthis  crinistria,  surmounted 
by  sandstone,  which  forms  the  top  of  the  ridge,  where  we  passed  over  it 
into  Madison  county. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  99 


MADISON   COUNTY. 

The  continuance  of  the  south- west  dip,  brings  in  still  higher  members  of 
the  subcarboniferous  group  on  the  Main  fork  of  King's  river. 

Five  miles  below  the  forks  of  King's  river,  there  are  alternations  of 
limestones  and  sandstones,  with  some  shaly  partings,  all  belonging  to  the 
upper  division  of  the  subcarboniferous  group.  Fifty  feet  above  the  high- 
est bed  of  limestone  observed  at  this  locality,  there  are  some  thirty  feet  of 
shale  shown  in  a  section  in  a  ravine.  The  lower  part  of  this  shale  is  black 
and  bituminous,  and  exhibits,  in  splitting,  curious,  conchoidal  impressions, 
in  which,  however,  no  organic  structure  is  discerned;  the  upper  part  is 
light-grey  and  encloses  flattened  concretions  of  clay  ironstone.  This 
shale  is  overlaid  by  sandstones  belonging  to  the  millstone  grit  series. 

Ascending  the  valley  of  King's  river  towards  the  forks,  masses  of  con- 
glomerate sandstone  are  encountered,  which  have  fallen  from  the  cliffs 
above.  From  the  forks  of  King's  river,  a  high  bluff  is  seen  to  the  east, 
with  vertical  cliffs  of  conglomerate  and  millstone  grit,  overhanging  the 
shales,  under  which  are  the  sandstones,  Archimedes,  and  encrinital  lime- 
stones of  the  upper  subcarboniferous  group. 

The  soil  of  the  valley  of  King's  river  is  black  and  rich,  from  the  wash- 
ings it  receives  from  the  limestones  and  bituminous  shales  of  the  adjacent 
slopes;  but  the  same  cause  has  operated  to  produce  a  miry  road,  liable  to 
be  washed  into  deep  holes,  which  makes  the  traveling  disagreeable. 

Both  the  ascent  of  the  valley,  and  the  southerly  dip,  contribute  to  bring 
the  Archimedes  limestone  and  millstone  grits  gradually  lower  in  the  hills 
as  you  proceed  up  King's  river. 

In  the  ridge,  which  divides  the  waters  of  King's  river  from  those  of 
War  Eagle  and  Richland  creek,  on  or  near  Samuel  Rags'  farm,  and  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  end  of  the  Clarksville  road,  a  small  branch 
makes  a  perpendicular  fall  over  twelve  feet  of  overhanging  conglomerate 
sandstone;  beneath  this  are  about  eighteen  inches  of  shale,  including  six 
inches  of  coal.  I  traveled  fifteen  miles  from  my  camp  on  King's  river,  to 
see  this  coal,  in  the  hopes  that  it  might  prove  to  be  a  workable  bed,  but 
was  disappointed  in  finding  it  so  thin;  because  a  good  bed  of  coal  would 
be  of  infinite  service  to  this  country,  remote  from  a  navigable  stream,  if 
for  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  blacksmith's  use.*  At  considerable 
labor  a  few  hundred  pounds  of  this  coal  were  obtained,  by  taking  advan- 

*So  necessary  do  blacksmiths  find  coal  in  their  business,  that  they  often  go  great  distances  and 
haul  a  small  supply  to  their  shops,  although  it  may  be  of  inferior  quality. 


100  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

tage  of  the  cavernous  opening  made  by  nature,  beneath  the  cliff  of  con- 
glomerate: already  the  bed  is  so  difficult  of  access,  back  in  the  recesses  of 
the  cliff,  that  even  with  all  the  height,  obtainable  by  the  removal  of  the 
whole  thickness  of  the  shale,  a  space  of  only  from  18  to  24  inches  is 
cleared  between  the  hard  sills  of  sandstone,  to  work  in,  and  it  has  become 
therefore  necessary,  in  order  to  obtain  any  coal,  that  the  workman  should 
lie  on  his  side  and  work  his  pick  in  this  uncomfortable  position. 

By  computation,  the  coal  under  this  conglomerate  is  at  least  400  feet 
above  the  valley  of  King's  river.  It  is  underlaid  by  millstone  grit,  suc- 
ceeded, in  the  descending  order,  by  a  great  thickness  of  marly  shales, 
under  which  are  the  Archimedes,  and  encrinital  limestone  and  associate 
sandstone.  No  continuous  section  was  obtained  where  the  relative  thick- 
ness of  the  different  members  could  be  measured. 

In  summits  of  the  highest  ridges,  near  the  head  of  King's  river,  about 
200  feet  of  red  and  variegated  shales  and  sandstone  come  in  over  the 
conglomerate.  In  this  space,  coals  of  workable  thickness  are  more  likely 
to  occur  than  under  the  conglomerate;  and  the  inhabitants  of  Madison 
county  would  do  well  to  make  diligent  search  for  outcrops  of  coal,  in  these 
higher  measures.  As  yet,  however,  no  symptoms  of  coal  have  been  dis- 
covered amongst  these  superior  shales,  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  Madi- 
son county. 

Some  pieces  of  lead  ore  are  reported  to  have  been  picked  up  in  the 
valley  of  King's  river,  viz:  in  the  Basham  and  Roebuck  settlement  on 
Dry  creek,  three  miles  above  Kingston;  also  by  Burney,  higher  up  the 
valley,  near  the  head  of  King's  river.  At  the  latter  locality,  the  rocks 
being  mostly  conglomerate  sandstones  and  shales,  which  have  not  retained 
that  openness  of  fissure  requisite  for  the  retention  of  metallic  insinuations, 
it  is  not  likely  that  productive  lodes  should  occur,  accessible  to  any  rea- 
sonable amount  of  shafting;  at  the  former,  where  the  underlying  lime- 
stone formations  are  nearer  the  surface,  the  prospect  is  somewhat  more 
favorable;  but  still  I  do  not  consider  the  geological  indications,  in  the 
south-east  part  of  Madison  county,  as  encouraging  for  mining  operations 
as  in  the  northern  part  of  this  county,  where  the  barren  and  cavernous 
cherty  limestones  immediately  underlie  the  country;  the  reason  for  this 
conclusion  will  appear  more  folly  when  treating  of  Benton  county. 

From  the  forks  of  King's  river,  we  ascended  for  several  miles  on  the 
western  branches  of  that  stream,  and  then  rose  460  feet  to  the  divide 
between  King's  river  and  Warton's  creek.  In  this  ridge,  the  Archimedes, 
pentremital,  encrinital,  and  other  members  of  the  upper  division  of  the 
subcarboniferous  limestone  group  were  found  in  force,  with  intercalations 
and  partings  of  shale  and  marl,  with  some  alternations  of  ferruginous 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


sandstone,  especially  on  the  western  declivity,  desceniing  to  Warton's 
creek. 

^  At  Dotson's  farm,  on  that  stream,  underneath  these  formations,  a  black, 
bituminous,  sheety  shale  crops  out,  similar  to  the  shale  of  Wiley's  Cove,  in 
Searcy  county,  of  which  15  feet  can  be  seen  exposed  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  creek.  This  shale  dips  at  an  angle  of  5  or  6  deg.  down  stream,  and 
is  soon  lost  to  view  under  flagstones,  these  again  dip  under  argillaceous 
shales,  including  a  ferruginous,  calcareous  band,  charged  with  the  remains 
of  producta  and  chonetcs,  of  which  the  P.  clcgans  is  the  most  abundant. 

The  ridge  dividing  Warton's  creek  and  War  Eagle,  is  290  feet  above 
the  former  stream.  On  the  top  of  this  ridge,  some  60  to  80  feet  of  con- 
glomerate overlies  subcarboniferous  limestones,  shales,  and  sandstones. 

The  succession  on  Warton's  creek  and  War  Eagle,  is  as  follows: 

1.  Ferruginous  and  argillaceous  shales. 

2.  Conglomerate  sandstone. 

3.  Shales,  both  black  and  ferruginous. 

4.  Millstone  grit  and  shaly  sandstones. 

5.  Shales. 

6.  Archimedes  and  pentremital  limestones. 

7.  Black  shale,  thin. 

8.  Grey  shales,  including  band  of  productal  calcareous  rock. 

9.  Flagstones. 

10.  Dotson  black  sheety  shale. 

No.  10,  the  Dotson  black  shale,  is  the  lowest  bed  visible  in  this  part  of 
Madison  county. 

Five  miles  above  Huntsville,  concretionary  and  schistose  beds  of  Archi- 
medes limestone  form  the  bed  of  War  Eagle,  and  a  rugged  bench  of 
harder  layers  of  the  same  rock  borders  for  some  distance  its  north  bank, 
like  an  artificial  wall.  Some  dark  shales  are  intercolated  amongst  these 
upper  subcarboniferous  limestones  on  this  stream.  Here  the  dip  is  south- 
easterly, so  that  the  flagstones  and  dark  shales  soon  rise  from  beneath  the 
aforementioned  limestones,  in  a  north-west  course. 

The  surface  of  some  of  the  slabs,  both  of  the  flagstones  and  harder 
shaly  strata,  is  covered  with  cylindrical  and  conical  impressions,  often  in 
high  relief,  some  of  which  are  in  semi-lunar  whorls  or  coils.  These  are, 
probably,  referrible  to  various  species  of  fossil  fiicoides,  or  sea  weeds;  but 
the  structure  is  so  obscure  that  the  inference  of  their  origin  is,  at  present, 
rather  problematical. 

All  the  ridges  passed  over  between  King's  river  and  War  Eagle,  had  a 
capping  of  conglomerate,  which  is  separated  from  the  Archimedes  lime- 
stone by  ferruginous  shales;  these  are,  ho\vever,  not  as  thick  as  in  the  val- 


102  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

ley  of  King's  river.  The  conglomerate  has,  also,  a  considerable  mass  of 
ferruginous  shale  overlying  it;  and  the  associate  sandstones  of  the  mill- 
stone grit  series  are  also  charged  with  oxide  of  iron;  indeed,  some  of 
these  ferruginous  layers  appear  to  contain  iron  enough  to  be  entitled  to 
rank  as  ores,  and  were  they  not  too  siliceous,  might  be  profitably  reduced 
to  iron. 

A  few  miles  south  of  Huntsville,  the  road  is  in  many  places  strewed 
with  white  water-worn  quartzy  pebbles,  derived  from  the  disintegration 
of  the  conglomerate  rock  which  lies  in  the  hill  above. 

The  soil  here  is  generally  red,  from  the  quantity  of  iron  washed  into  it 
from  the  shales  and  ferruginous  sandstones  of  the  adjacent  hillsides. 

About  15  feet  of  black  shale  are  exposed  in  the  banks  of  the  spring 
branch  of  War  Eagle,  two  miles  below  Huntsville.  This  shale  encloses 
hard  and  heavy  kidney-shaped  masses  of  carbonate  of  iron,  in  the  center 
of  which  particles  of  white  iron  pyrites  are  found,  which  have  been  mis- 
taken for  silver  ore.  Here,  a  considerable  quantity  of  good  iron  ore  could 
be  obtained,  though  not  enough,  by  itself,  to  supply  a  furnace;  but,  no 
doubt,  other  localities  of  the  same  ore  can  be  disclosed,  wrhich,  together, 
might  afford  sufficient.  In  fact,  the  symptoms  of  the  presence  of  iron  are 
so  general  in  the  rocks  of  this  vicinity,  under  the  conglomerate,  as  to  ren- 
der it  a  locality  well  worthy  the  attention  of  the  iron  master  and  the 
owners  of  property.  This  mass  of  shale  is  covered  with  flaggy  sandstone, 
and  is,  most  likely,  the  equivalent  of  the  Dotson  black  shale  and  flag- 
stone of  Warton's  creek.  The  strata  dip,  here,  to  the  south-east. 

A  qualitative  analysis  of  the  water  obtained  at  the  head  of  Kimble's 
creek,  4  miles  from  Huntsville,  was  made,  and  gave,  as  its  principal  con- 
stituents: 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

Bi-carbonate  of  the  oxide  of  iron. 

Chloride  of  sodium. 

Chloride  of  magnesium. 

Small  quantities  of  sulphate  of  soda. 

It  is  a  weak,  saline  chalybeate,  possessing  mild  laxative,  and  tonic  pro- 
perties. 

At  our  encampment  on  Holman's  creek,  2  miles  north-west  of  Hunts- 
ville, the  Archimedes  limestone  occurs  in  ledges  on  its  banks,  underlaid 
by  black  shales. 

The  same  limestone,  with  its  accompanying  shales,  occurs  two  or  three 
miles  from  Phillips'  on  the  road  to  Osage  spring. 

A  few  inches  of  coal  are  said  to  have  been  discovered  some  distance 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


up  Holman's  creek,  associated  with  this  black  shale.  The  rocks,  along 
this  branch,  lie  too  low  in  the  geological  formations  to  contain  any  work- 
able beds  of  coal. 

On  this  same  stream,  about  nine  miles  north-west  of  Huntsville,  the 
road  leads,  for  half  a  mile,  through  barrens  with  a  sandy  soil,  followed  by 
prairie  in  which  sandstone  crops  out  about  10  miles  from  Huntsville. 
This  prairie  is  bounded  by  wooded  hills  off  to  the  south-west. 

Proceeding  towards  the  north-west,  the  Archimedes  limestone  and  asso- 
ciate shale  are  succeeded  by  chert  and  cherty  limestone  on  the  edge  of  the 
barrens;  after  which  comes  sandstone  in  the  prairie.  In  the  former,  casts 
of  Orthis  crinistria?  were  found  about  four  or  five  miles  from  Holman's 
creek. 

This  cherty  limestone,  which  belongs,  doubtless,  to  the  lower  division  of 
the  subcarboniferous  group,  has  a  considerable  area  in  the  northern  part 
of  Madison  county,  and  possesses  the  peculiar  lithological  character  of  the 
most  productive  lead-bearing  rocks  of  the  adjacent  part  of  south-western 
Missouri. 

Some  lead  ore  has  been  found  in  the  Moudey  settlement,  about  four 
miles  north  of  Huntsville;  if  it  had  its  origin  in  this  formation,  it  is  a 
locality  which  should  claim  the  attention  of  the  miner,  as  will  appear 
more  fully  in  the  next  section,  when  treating  of  Benton  county. 

This  cherty  limestone,  containing  a  few  entrochites,  underlies  the  Brush 
creek  barrens,  and  the  spring  at  C.  Fitches',  on  the  edge  of  these  barrens, 
and  close  to  the  line  between  this  county  and  Washington,  wells  up 
through  the  same  description  of  rocks;  these  are  analogous,  and  most  pro- 
bably cotemporaneous  with,  the  geological  formation  that  underlies  the 
barrens  of  Kentucky. 


BENTON   COUNTY. 

In  the  extreme  south-east  corner  of  this  county,  along  the  bluffs  of 
White  river,  the  barren  limestone  formation,  of  which  we  had  occasion  to 
speak  in  the  previous  section,  under  the  head  of  Madison  county,  forms 
conspicuous  cliffs  near  the  crossing  of  the  road  from  Huntsville  to  Ben- 
tonville.  On  section  24,?  township  18  north,  range  19  west,  (if  this  road  is 
correctly  laid  down  on  the  maps,)  a  hard,  sheety  black  shale  comes  in  under 
this  limestone,  having  the  appearance  of  the  black  shale  of  Wiley's  Cove, 
in  Searcy  county;  but,  probably,  occupying  a  rather  lower  geological 
position  in  the  subcarboniferous  group;  since  that  shale  underlies  the 
Archimedes  and  encrinital  limestones  in  the  upper  division  of  the  subcar- 


104  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

boniferous  group,  while  this  succeeds,  in  the  descending'order,  the  barren 
cherty  limestone  of  the  lower  division.  From  30  to  35  feet  of  this  shale 
are  seen  in  section,  not  only  along  the  bluffs  of  White  river,  but  also  on 
Hickory  creek,  about  a  mile  to  the  west.  At  both  localities,  the  shale  is- 
overlaid  by  the  barren  limestone,  which,  on  White  river,  forms  cliffs  of  80 
to  100  feet. 

1  have  never  seen,  in  any  of  my  previous  surveys  in  the  western  states, 
amongst  the  subcarboniferous  rocks,  shales  possessing  the  solidity  and 
hardness  of  the  shales  of  Wiley's  cove,  or  those  of  the  south-east  part  of 
Benton  county,  which  may  be  almost  entitled  to  the  appellation  of  slates, 
though  not  durable  enough  for  roofing  purposes;  in  this  respect,  these 
shales  resemble,  in  lithological  character,  the  hard,  black,  sheety  shale  or 
slate  of  the  Salt  river  valley,  in  Kentucky,  and  at  the  base  of  the  knobs 
of  Floyd  county,  Indiana,  belonging  to  the  devonian  period;  which  slates 
are  the  representatives,  probably,  of  the  "  Gennessee  slate"  of  the  New 
York  Reports.  The  superposition  and  association  will  undoubtedly  place 
both  the  shales  of  Wiley's  Cove  and  Hickory  creek,  in  Benton  county,  as 
members  of  the  subcarboniferous  group.  The  fossils  found,  as  yet.  in 
these  shales,  are  too  imperfect,  and  too  few,  to  enable  one  to  judge,  from 
them  alone,  of  the  age  of  these  Arkansas  shales;  we  are,  there  fore,  obliged 
to  resort,  for  the  present,  to  order  of  superposition  for  a  solution  of  the 
problem. 

The  ascent  from  White  river,  up  the  ridge,  on  the  west  side  is  310  feet; 
the  road  runs  over  chert,  derived  from  the  disintegration  of  the  cherty 
limestones,  overlying  the  aforementioned  black  shale.  In  this  chert  are 
found  some  of  the  disjointed  disks  of  oval-shaped  stems  of  platycrinus; 
and  at  the  Osage  spring,  the  fountain  head  of  Osage  creek,  it  contains 
Productus  punctatus,  and  the  same  species  of  reticulated,  fossil  corallines 
which  characterize  the  cherty  limestone  in  the  barrens  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee. 

The  lands  between  White  river  and  Bentonville,  are  mostly  oak  bar- 
rens, interspersed  with  prairie. 

Samples  of  soil  were  taken  from  Benton  county,  for  future  chemical 
analysis,  from  the  Hon.  A.  B.  Greenwood's  farm,  near  the  town  of  Ben- 
tonville. 

The  oak  and  hickory  timber  which  has  now  sprung  up  on  the  borders 
of  the  present  prairie,  is  mostly  of  a  growth  as  recent  as  the  settlement  of 
the  country;  since  the  greater  portion  of  this  part  of  Benton  county  was, 
before  that  time,  open  prairie,  with,  here  and  there,  thickets  of  low  bushes. 
West  of  Bentonville,  there  is  a  mulatto  soil,  somewhat  different  in  its 
character  from  that  immediately  around  Bentonville,  and  very  productive, 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


as  most  soils  of  this  color  proved  to  be  in  the  analyses  of  Kentucky  soils. 

Water  is  generally  obtained,  in  these  prairies,  at  the  depth  of  20  to  25 
feet,  after  passing  through  chert  and  red  clay,  such  as  underlies  a  consid- 
erable area  of  this  county.  This  underclay  will,  no  doubt,  be  found  an 
excellent  fertilizer  of  land;  and  entering,  as  it  does,  largely  into  the  sub- 
soils of  this  country,  and  therefore  accessible  by  subsoiling,  will  be  a  per- 
manent store  of  agricultural  wealth  to  the  country. 

In  the  valley  of  Sugar  creek,  the  black  shale  is  again  seen  under  the 
limestone,  and  is  in  view  at  intervals  along  this  stream,  all  the  way  to  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  state. 

At  Squires'  mill,  16  feet  of  black  shale  is  well  exposed,  with  6  or  8  inches 
of  marly  earth  between  it  and  the  overlying  limestone. 

The  stripe  of  the  geological  formations  appears,  therefore,  to  run  diag- 
onally through  Benton  county,  from  Hickory  creek,  in  the  south-east  cor- 
ner, to  where  Sugar  creek  crosses  the  state  line  into  Missouri. 

Two  and  a  half  miles  south  of  the  state  line,  the  limestone,  over  the 
black  slate,  contains  large  tipirifcr  striatus? 

The  succession  in  Benton  county,  so  far  as  yet  ascertained,  is: 

1.  Productive  and  coralline  chert,  at  the  head  of  the  Osage  and  elsewhere. 

2.  Cherty  limestone  of  the  barren  limestone  group,  forming  cliffs  on  White 

river  and  elsewhere. 

3.  Black  slate  of  Hickory  and  Sugar  creeks. 

The  first  and  second  members  of  the  preceding  section,  are  of  the  same 
age  and  composition  as  the  lead-bearing  formations  of  the  Granby  lead 
mines,  in  Newton  county,  Missouri;  and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe,  from 
analogy  of  structure,  both  in  the  rocks  and  general  surface  of  the  country, 
that  here,  in  Benton  county,  as  well  as  in  the  northern  parts  of  Madison, 
Washington,  and  western  part  of  Carroll  county,  discoveries  maybe  made 
of  lead  deposits,  similar  to  those  of  the  Granby  mines,  in  Missouri;  there- 
fore, it  may  be  well,  in  this  connection,  to  record  some  of  the  facts  con- 
nected with  the  mode  of  occurrence  of  the  lead  ores  in  these  mines,  which 
is,  in  many  respects,  peculiar,  and  particularly  worthy  the  attention  of 
the  inhabitants  of  north-western  Arkansas;  since  it  may  be  the  means  of 
leading  to  discoveries  that  may  not  only  enrich  the  owner  of  the  land,  but 
develop  the  mineral  resources  of  the  country. 

At  the  Granby  lead  mines,  the  lead  ore  has  not  generally  been  found,  as 
usual,  in  fissures  and  veins,  with  a  more  or  less  perpendicular  hade,  but 
rather  running  in  horizontal  sheets  between  the  stratification  of  the  rocks, 
and  generally  beneath  the  great  mass  of  overlying  heterogeneous  chert 
deposits,  where  it  rests  on  the  underlying  limestone,  wrhich  often  possesses 
oolitic  structure,  close  to  the  rich  deposits  of  sulphuret  of  lead. 


106  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

The  depth  at  which  this  junction  of  chert  and  limestone  takes  place,  is 
from  30  to  80  feet.  The  average  depth  of  the  shafts,  before  reaching  the 
main  deposits  of  ore,  may  be  put  down  at  65  feet.  After  the  shaft  has 
reached  the  level  of  the  "  Sheet  mineral"  a  barrier  is  often  found,  which 
has  to  be  penetrated  before  reaching  the  heaviest  beds  of  ore,  known, 
technically,  by  the  name  of  the  "  bar  rocks;"  this  is  usually  from  15  to  30 
feet  through;  it  seems  to  be  composed  of  porous  calcareous  matter,  in 
which  some  sulphuret  of  lead,  sulphuret  of  zinc,  (black-jack),  and  bitter 
spar,  (magnesian  limestone),  is  disseminated.  After  this  barrier  is  broken 
through,  the  miner  reaches  the  "  sheet  mineral,"  lying,  not  perfectly  level, 
but  waving  somewhat  with  the  irregular,  corroded  surface  of  the  rock  on 
which  it  has  been  deposited,  and  mixed,  more  or  less,  with  a  "  tallow 
clay,"  either  red  or  white,  which  is  a  tenaceous,  unctuous  clay,  sometimes 
ferruginous,  in  certain  states  of  dryness  cuts  like  tallow  or  soap.  There 
are,  also,  various  minerals,  either  amorphous  (i.  e.  without  any  regular 
geometrical  forms),  or  crystallized;  such  as  pearlspar,  bitter  spar,  carbonate 
of  lead,  carbonate  and  silicate  of  zinc,  sulphuret  of  zinc,  with  occasionally 
crystals  of  sulphate  and  phosphate  of  lead,  disseminated  with  the  calc-spar, 
the  principal  vein-stone  accompanying  the  galena.  The  so-called  "  black- 
jack rock,"  (i.  e.  a  rock  in  which  sulphuret  of  zinc  is  largely  disseminated), 
is  considered  a  good  indication  of  lead  ore. 

The  material  passed  through  in  sinking  the  shaft,  is  mostly  white  chert 
in  displaced  and  confused  masses.  This  chert  is  often  light  and  porous — 
almost  possessing  the  structure  of  pumice. 

Three  tiers  of  sheet-ore  have  been  successively  passed  through;  that  at 
an  average  depth  of  65  feet  from  the  "  grass,"  has  proved,  as  yet,  the 
most  productive.  Ore  has  been  reached,  however,  within  10  and  20  feet 
of  the  surface. 

The  horizontal  sheets  of  lead  ore  vary  in  thickness  from  a  fraction  of 
an  inch  to  2  feet,  and  even,  in  some  extraordinary  instances,  to  3  feet. 
The  average  thickness  may  be  put  down  at  6  to  10  inches.  They  are 
often  so  rich  that  it  is  not  uncommon,  after  a  shaft  has  been  fairly  sunk  to 
the  level  of  the  ore,  for  two  men  to  raise  from  1,000  to  2,000  pounds,  and 
even  sometimes  3,000  to  4,000  pounds,  in  six  or  eight  hours.  30,000  to 
50,000  pounds  have  been  raised  out  of  the  Hopkins  mine  by  20  men,  each 
man  averaging  from  400  to  300  pounds  a  day. 

At  the  Frazer  shaft,  from  a  quarter  acre  lot,  10,000  pounds  were  taken 
out;  and,  from  all  the  Frazer  claims,  up  to  the  present  time,  comprising 
10  acres,  400,000  pounds  of  lead  ore  have  been  raised.  The  total  amount 
of  ore  raised  in  the  last  two  years  is  about  800,000  pounds. 

The  ore,  as  has  been  said,  lies  mostly  in  horizontal  spaces,  conformable 


OF  ARKANSAS.  ]_07 


with  the  bedding  rock;  but,  nevertheless,  there  are  crevices  having  a 
connection  with  the  ore,  the  bearing  of  which  is  nearly  north  and  south, 
opening  occasionally  into  cavernous  spaces,  precisely  analogous  to  the 
ore-bearing  veins  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  and  in  Wisconsin  and  Iowa; 
but  these  are  either  entirely  barren  of  ore  or  contain  only  small  quantities. 
My  impression  is,  that  the  lead  ore  once  occupied  these  north  and  south 
crevices,  and  was  subsequently  removed,  in  part  or  in  whole,  into  its 
present  bed  by  a  transposition,  analogous  to  that  known  to  minerologists 
under  the  name  of  the  pseudomorphous  process,  by  which  one  mineral  is 
removed,  while  another  takes  its  place,  assuming  often  the  form  of  the 
first  mineral,  instead  of  the  usual  form  belonging  to  itself.  The  term 
"  analogous"  is  used,  because  the  lead  ore  here  cannot  exactly  be  consid- 
ered to  occur  in  a  false,  form,  or  one  belonging  to  another  mineral;  in  this 
instance,  I  believe,  it  only  took  the  place  of  the  amorphous  rock;  therefore 
it  was  not  infiltrated  into  a  pre-existing  geometrical  mould,  if  I  may  so 
express  it,  but  had  freedom  of  space  sufficient  to  assume  its  usual  cuboidal 
structure.  That  it  should  be  deposited  like  a  limestone  or  sandstone,  is 
altogether  improbable  and  contrary  to  the  usual  nature  of  such  ponderous 
and  difficultly  soluble  minerals. 

The  lead-bearing  rock  is  not  very  fossiliferous,  but  there  can  be  dis- 
tinguished the  Orlhis  crinistria,  Productus  cora,  and  other  fossils  of  the 
cherty  barren  limestone  division  of  the  subcarboniferous  group;  not, 
however,  belonging  to  the  Archimedes  and  pentremital  group,  as  has  been 
suggested. 

Though  the  profitable  discoveries  of  lead  ore  at  the  Granby  mines,  have 
hitherto  been  confined  to  about  one  mile  square;  still,  they  attracted  a 
population,  in  two  years,  of  3,800  people,  to  a  section  of  land  before 
almost  neglected,  even  by  the  farmer,  and  which  now,  with  the  unfavor- 
able circumstance  under  which  the  mining  claims  are  held,  (being  part  of 
a  tract  conditionally  ceded  to  one  of  the  proposed  Pacific  railroad  routes), 
has,  nevertheless,  in  that  short  space  of  time,  converted  a  wild  prairie  into 
a  populous  town,  full  of  enterprise  and  industry. 

It  should  be  observed,  too,  that  the  surface  indications  were  no  more 
encouraging,  at  the  time  the  mines  were  started,  than  they  are  in  many 
localities  that  may  be  pointed  out  in  the  above  counties  in  Arkansas, 
where  the  same  formation  exists  and  where  the  cherty  materials,  thrown 
out  from  excavations  for  wells,  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  rubbish 
rock  at  the  mouth  of  the  Granby  shafts.  I  may  add,  too,  that,  in  all  these 
counties,  surface  ore  has  occasionally  been  found  under  circumstances 
similar  to  that  in  which  they  were  first  discovered  in  Newton  county. 
But  still  the  search  after  lead  ore  may  be  precarious,  and  lead  to  many 


108  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

disappointments;  since  ore  is  only  locally  and  not  universally  distributed 
through  the  rock;  hence  it  requires  not  only  a  general  knowledge  of 
minerals,  but  special  experience  in  this  particular  rock  formation,  to  sink 
a  shaft  successfully  on  ore,  even  though  the  miner  may  have  surface 
indications  to  guide  him. 

If  the  ore  should  be  found  in  sheets,  as  in  Missouri,  the  thickness  of  the 
lead-bearing  rock  is  not  a  matter  of  so  much  moment;  but  if  it  should 
occur  in  veins  or  lodes,  then  that  question  assumes  importance. 

In  the  north-west  part  of  Arkansas  I  did  not  find,  at  any  one  place, 
more  than  one  hundred  feet  of  the  cherty,  barren  limestone  exposed;  but 
this  is,  probably,  not  its  entire  thickness.  In  Searcy  county,  solid  cliffs  of 
more  than  200  feet  of  this  rock  have  been  observed.  In  following  vertical 
veins  through  this  rock,  the  black  shales  of  Hickory  and  Sugar  creeks  will 
be  encountered;  in  this  rock  it  is  not  likely  that  ore  will  be  found  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  to  be  profitable  to  work;  but  this  shale  is  of  no  great 
thickness;  38  feet  is  the  greatest  number  of  feet  I  have  seen  exposed,  and 
it  is  not  likely  that  the  whole  mass  will  exceed  50  feet.  This  passed 
through,  solid  limestones  will  be  again  entered,  in  which  the  veins  may 
also  prove  productive. 

The  chances,  then,  are  favorable  for  the  occurrence  of  productive  lead 
mines  in  the  north-west  part  of  Arkansas,  north  of  the  boundary  line  of 
the  millstone  grit  and  its  underlying  shales.  This  boundary  line  will  be 
hereafter  described,  and  ultimately  indicated  by  a  colored  geological  map, 
if  the  survey  be  hereafter  carried  through  in  detail. 

Near  the  north-east  corner  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  in  Benton  county, 
on  Butler  creek,  black  slate,  the  equivalent  of  that  on  Hickory  and  Sugar 
creeks,  makes  its  appearance  on  the  hillsides  in  the  barrens,  under  a  low 
cliff  of  white  sub-crystalline  limestone.  These  cliffs  are  surmounted  by 
cherty  limestone,  chert,  and  cherty  sandstone,  which  underlie  the  flat 
woods  of  Spavinaw,  like  those  between  Indian  creek  and  Oliver's  prairie, 
in  Missouri,  south-west  of  the  Granby  lead  mines. 

A  sulphur  spring  was  reported  to  me  on  Butler  creek,  about  five  miles 
east  of  Maysville;  but  not  until  I  had  passed  half  a  day's  travel  to  the 
south  of  it,  so  that  I  had  no  opportunity  of  testing  it. 

Beatty's  prairie,  north-east  of  Maysville,  is  a  perfect  counterpart  of 
Oliver's  prairie  in  Newton  county,  Missouri;  the  gently  undulating  surface, 
fringed,  like  it,  with  groves  of  oak,  small  hickory,  is  also  dotted  with  low 
mounds,  bearing  tofts  of  rank  wreeds,  and  made  up  of  isolated  heaps  of 
chert  gravel.  These  mounds  are  so  uniform  in  appearance  that  they 
convey  the  idea  of  an  artificial  origin. 

In  riding    over  this  prairie,  about  3  miles  from   Maysville,  the  ground 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


sounded  hollow  under  the  horses  feet,  marking,  no  doubt,  the  roof  of  some 
cavernous  space  in  the  underlying  limestone.  It  is  not  improbable  that 
this  spot  may  be  on  the  line  of  some  crevice,  and,  if  within  the  sphere  of 
action  that  produced  the  metalliferous  deposits  of  JVewton  county,  Missouri, 
might  lead  to  sources  of  cotemporaneous  ore  beds.  The  apparent  west 
north-west  bearing  of  the  lead  mines  of  south-western  Missouri  would, 
however,  rather  indicate  their  course  north  of  this  locality. 

The  cavernous  nature  of  the  limestone,  of  this  part  of  Benton  county, 
is  also  indicated  by  the  sinking  of  a  branch  of  the  Corner  spring,  that 
runs  by  the  Burrow  farm,  beneath  the  surface,  a  few  hundred  yards  below 
the  house  on  this  farm. 

The  white,  soft,  decomposing  chert  of  the  barrens  south  of  Beatty's 
prairie,  haa  casts  and  impressions  of  reticulated  corallines,  similar  to  those 
of  the  corresponding  formations  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  These 
fossils  were  also  observed,  in  greater  abundance  and  perfection,  near  the 
centre  of  township  18  north,  range  32  west,  in  the  materials  thrown  out 
of  a  well. 

The  soil  of  this  part  of  Benton  county  appears  to  be  well  adapted  for 
wheat,  and,  having  a  substratum  of  red  clay,  which,  no  doubt,  will  be 
found  to  have  fertilizing  effects,  the  productiveness  of  the  surface-soil,  by 
judicious  management,  need  not  be  materially  impaired,  even  by  continu- 
ous culture.  This  country  is  well  watered  by  fine  springs,  that  issue  from 
the  south-west  slopes  of  the  cherty  limestone. 

The  greater  part  of  Benton  county  is,  therefore,  based  on  this  member 
of  the  subcarboniferous  group,  except  in  the  higher  grounds,  where  the 
flat  oak  woods  prevail;  there  the  barren  limestone  and  chert  is'overlaid 
by  shaly  rocks  and  a  kind  of  buhrstone  and  cherty  sandstone. 


GEOLOGICAL     RECONNOISSANCE 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 

The  geology  of  the  northern  townships  of  this  county  is  very  analagous 
to  that  of  Benton  county.  The  southern  extension  of  the  cherty  barren 
limestone  is  here,  as  there,  the  base  rock  of  the  country,  the  underlying 
shales  only  showing  themselves  in  the  deepest  cuts,  in  the  extreme  north- 
east corner  of  the  county,  on  White  river,  near  Van  Winkle's  mill,  and 
near  Blackburn's  mill,  on  War  Eagle.  At  the  former  of  these  localities, 
the  limestone  is  cavernous.  Close  to  the  Washington  county  line,  but 
probably  in  the  south-east  corner  of  Benton  county,  a  salt-petre  cave  is 
reported  which  I  have  not  yet  seen. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  northern  part  of  Washing- 
ton county,  consists  in  the  noble  springs,  which  gush  forth  amongst  the 
ledges  of  limestone,  in  such  volume  and  force  as  to  afford  water-powers 
for  small  mills,  even  at  their  very  source.  The  Elm  springs,  forming  the 
head  of  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Clear  fork  of  the  Illinois  river,  are 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  springs.  They  are,  no  doubt,  due 
to  the  fissured  and  cavernous  nature  of  the  barren  limestone,  reposing  on 
its  underlying  impermeable  shale.  Atmospheric  water,  filtering  with 
facility  through  the  cavities  and  rents  of  the  limestone,  is  arrested  by  the 
impervious  shale  beneath,  and  flows  out  along  the  slope  of  the  southerly 
dip.  Besides  affording  convenient  and  permanent  water  powers,  these 
springs,  no  doubt,  contribute  greatly  to  the  fertility  of  the  lands  in  the  ad- 
jacent valleys,  not  alone  by  their  irrigating  effects,  but  by  reason  of  the 
large  amount  of  carbonic  acid  and  lime  with  which  they  are  charged, 
which  must,  undoubtedly,  give  a  remarkable  impetus  to  vegetation;  since 
they  are  two  of  the  most  essential  fertilizers  in  all  manures.  One  of 
them,  carbonic  acid,  is,  in  fact,  the  great  solvent,  or  vehicle,  which  carries 
nourishment  to  the  plant. 

In  township  17  and  the  southern  part  of  18  north,  range  29  west,  the 
succession  of  the  different  beds  of  the  subcarboniferous  group  is  approxi- 
mately as  follows: 


OF  ARKANSAS 


111 


200? 


40? 


40? 


40? 


The  first  and  highest 
member  of  this  section — 
the  sandstone  formation 
— occupies  the  summit  of 
the  ranges  of  hills  adja- 
cent to  White  river, 
above  and  below  the 
mouth  of  Brush  creek, 
and  will,  doubtless,  be 

White,  yellow  and  brown  sandstones,  some  offound    capping   many    of 

which  have  a  cellular  structure.  ,  i       '      i    .     -i          •,          i  •   i 

the  isolated  peaks,  which 

rise  in  various  directions 
out  of  the  barrens  and 
prairies,  on  both  sides  of 
the  Missouri  road  lead- 
ing to  Springfield.  The 
second  member  underlies 
more  immediately  those 
south-east  sections  of 
land,  bordering  on  White 
river,  that  are  elevated 
150  to  200  feet  above  that 
stream,  while  the  under- 
lying chert  and  cherty 
limestone  form  cliffs  on 
White  river,  near  the 
mouth  of  Brush  creek, 
and  become  the  surface 


Ferruginous  and  dark  shales. 


Chert  and  cherty  barren  limestone. 


Black  cherty  shale. 


rocks    in  the  north-west 


part  of  the  county,  in  consequence  of  the  rise  of  the  geological  forma- 
tions in  that  direction. 

This  latter  rock  is,  no  doubt,  for  reasons  already  advanced  in  the  pre- 
ceding section,  the  source  of  the  pieces  of  lead  ore  which,  according  to 
the  statements  of  many  citizens,  have  been  occasionally  picked  up  in  this 
township  and  along  some  of  those  branches,  forming  the  heads  of  the 
Illinois  river,  whioh  take  their  rise  in  the  northern  part  of  this  county. 
This  inference  is  further  corroborated  by  the  statement  of  William  Ray, 
that  he  had  dug  out  a  wagon-bed  full  of  lead  ore,  somewhere  in  town- 
ship 17  north,  range  29  west,  6  to  8  miles  north-east  of  Fayetteville. 

Three  miles  north-west  from  the  mouth  of  Brush  creek,  considerable 


112  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

iron  ore  of  the  limonite  variety  of  mineralogists  was  discovered  towards 
the  base  of  the  sandstone  formation — the  first  member  of  the  preceding 
section.  Most  of  this  ore  seen  on  the  surface,  in  connection  writh  the 
sandstones,  was  too  siliceous  to  make  good  iron;  but  it  is  not  improbable, 
that  better  ore  may  be  found  amongst  the  underlying  shales  of  the  second 
member;  strata  which,  being  argillaceous  in  their  composition,  are  more 
favorable  for  the  retention  of  segregated  iron  ore,  free  from  sand.  These 
shales,  seen  in  the  slope  of  the  road  leading  to  the  ford  on  White  river, 
at  the  mouth  of  Brush  creek,  have  a  ferruginous  appearance,  favorable 
for  the  presence  of  ores  of  iron. 

The  soil  east  of  the  Missouri  road  is  more  sandy  than  that  west,  in  con- 
sequence of  having  received  debris  and  washings  from  the  adjacent  main 
sandstone  ridge  lying  to  the  east. 

It  is  not  improbable,  when  the  highest  points  of  this  range  of  hills  come 
to  be  explored  in  detail,  that  some  of  the  members  of  the  upper  subcar- 
boniferous  group  may  be  found,  or  even  part  of  the  millstone  grit  series. 

Where  chert  materials  prevail,  harder  and  more  durable  than  the  rest  of 
the  formation,  they  have  resisted  decomposition  for  a  longer  period  of 
time  than  the  surrounding  parts,  and  given  rise  to  those  isolated  mounds 
which  rise  conspicuously,  in  all  directions,  out  of  the  prairie,  when  viewed 
from  some  elevated  position  in  the  neighboring  hills. 

The  low  ridges  bordering  the  northern  limits  of  township  18  north, 
range  29  and  30  west,  are  composed  of  chert — the  third  member  of  the 
section  previously  given — while  the  farming  lands  in  the  valleys,  which 
join  them  on  the  south,  are  based  on  the  calcareo-siliceous  member;  i.  e. 
the  barren  limestone  formation.  The  low  ridges,  140  feet  above  the  Clear 
fork  and  the  black-jack  barrens,  in  the  centre  of  township  17  north,  range 
30  west,  adjacent  to  the  Fayette\ille  road,  are  of  the  same  formation. 

Near  the  line  between  township  16  and  17  north,  range  30  west,  sand- 
stone ledges, Jaelonging  to  the  first  division  of  the  section,  are  in  place, 
resting  on  the  underlying  ferruginous  shale.  In  the  latter,  some  iron  ore 
was  observed. 

Approaching  the  town  of  Fayetteville,  these  strata  dip  rapidly  under 
the  upper  members  of  the  subcarboniferous  group. 

Immediately  adjacent  to  Fayetteville,  on  the  north,  ferruginous  shales 
are  seen,  dipping  at  an  angle  of  20  deg.  to  the  south-west,  underlaid  by 
a  kind  of  amygdaloidal  sandstone^belonging  to  the  millstone  grit  series. 

One  mile  west  of  Fayetteville,  on  the  head  of  the  Trace  branch  of  Wild 
Cat  creek,  black  shale  is  exposed,  containing  abundance  of  good  carbo- 
nate of  iron,  which,  with  other  localities,  will  go  far  towards  supplying 
the  wants  of  a  furnace  for  the  reduction  of  iron.  Over  the  black  shale, 


OF   ARKANSAS.  113 


with  iron  ore,  is  a  variegated  shale,  on  the  exposed  surface  of  which  numer- 
ous crystals  of  selenite  or  sulphate  of  lime  are  forming,  no  doubt,  from  the 
mutual  action  of  protosulphate  of  iron  and  bi-carbonate  of  lime ;  giving 
rise  to  sulphate  of  lime  and  protocarbonate  of  iron.  This  may  be  the  origin, 
too,  of  this  latter  mineral,  so  abundantly  found  in  the  underlying  black 
shale.  .  The  production  of  the  protosulphate  of  iron,  implicated  in  this 
mutual  decomposition,  is  evidently  to  be  accounted  for,  at  this  locality,  by 
the  gradual  oxidation  of  sulphur  and  iron,  the  elements  of  iron  pyrites, 
abundant,  even  now,  in  these  shales,  and,  no  doubt,  more  so  at  a  former 
period,  before  the  production  of  the  above  minerals. 

This  gypsiferous  shale  would,  undoubtedly,  prove  to  be  a  valuable  min- 
eral manure,  applied  to  some  of  the  siliceous  soils,  overlying  the  sand- 
stone formations  of  this  country,  as  well  as  to  those  located  at  the  base  of 
the  sandstone  ridges,  which  have  received  the  sandy  debris  washed  from 
their  flanks. 

The  strata  concealed  in  the  slope  above  these  shales,  exposed  both  at 
the  Lick  and  on  the  Town  branch,  are,  most  probably,  a  continuation  of 
similar  shales,  underlying  the  Archimedes  limestones,  such  as  were  after- 
wards seen  under  that  rock  elsewhere  in  the  county,  as  will  appear  in  the 
subsequent  part  of  this  section. 

The  shale  beds,  partly  exposed  in  the  drain  below  Cato's  spring,  proba- 
bly overlie  the  Archimedes  limestone ;  this  member  includes  a  seam  of 
coal  of  one  or  two  inches,  of  no  practical  value.  The  eight  inch  coal, 
which  has  been  partially  opened  for  the  use  of  the  blacksmiths,  lies  higher 
up  in  the  hills,  in  shales,  above  the  pentrimital  limestone,  at  Cato's  spring, 
over  which  is  the  main  body  of  sandstone,  forming  the  upper  part  of  the 
ridge  southeast  of  Fayetteville,  including  one  or  more  calcareous  bands. 

On  the  Town  branch,  on  section  20,  township  16  north,  range  30  west, 
about  20  feet  of  black  shale  are  exposed,  similar  to  that  at  the  Lick,  one  mile 
west  of  Fayetteville;  the  former  shale  contains  large  septaria,  both  of 
carbonate  of  lime,  and  carbonate  of  iron. 


114 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


5 

1 

1    1 

1    1 

1    1 

100'' 

1    1 

1    1 

1    1 

1 

mmmm 

mmmr 

CR   |  CR 

1 

1 

1           1 

I           1 

1 

IVb'i 

1 

1           1 

1 

1           1 

<» 



Sandstone  of  the  millstone  grit  series. 


Calcareous  bands. 


Sandstone  of  the  millstone  grit  series,  cel- 
lular, and  carbonaceous. 


Shales,  including  eight  inches  of  coal. 


The  subjoined  is  an 
approximate  section  of 
the  order  of  superposi- 
tion of  the  different  beds- 
from  the  sandstones,  in 
the  ridge  south-east  of 
Fayetteville,  to  the  black 
shale,  with  carbonate  of 
iron,  at  the  Lick,  1  mile 
west  of  town.  The  ex- 
act thickness  of  each  of 
the  members  I  am  una- 
ble to  give,  until  more 
accurate  measurements 
and  levels  are  taken  to 
the  outcrop  of  the  differ- 
ent members,  and  correc- 
tion for  dip  calculated ; 
for  the  present,  most  of 
the  thicknesses  are  given 
by  computation  from  ob- 
servations at  different  lo- 
calities, rather  than  from 
actual  measurements  at 
one  locality.  But,  we 
hope,  hereafter,  to  have 
an  opportunity  of  sub- 
mitting a  more  complete 
section,  in  detail,  with 
the  absolute  thickness  of 
the  beds. 

The  sandstones,  that 
form  the  upper  portion 
of  this  section,  contain 
some  remarkable  and 
very  curious  impressions, 
composed  of  subcylin- 
drical  branches,  radia- 
ting from  a  centre,  bear- 
ing a  distant  resem- 
blance to  some  fossil 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


115 


sponges ;  but  less  sym- 
metrical, and  without 
any  apparent  porous 
structure.  They  are, 
most  likely  of  vegetable 
origin,  and  may,  per- 
haps, be  referrible  to  that 
obscure  order  of  marine 
plants,  known  under  the 
name  of  fucoides ;  but, 
if  so,  are  entirely  differ- 
ent in  form  from  any- 
thing of  the  kind  I  have 
ever  observed  before,  or 
seen  described  in  any  of 
the  works  on  fossil  bo- 
tany. 

Tn  the  collection  of 
W.  Washburn,  I  saw 
some  fine  specimens  of 
lepidodendrons,  which 
have  weathered  out  of 
some  of  the  higher  sand- 
stones of  the  preceding 
section ;  and  imperfect 
specimens  of  the  same 
fossil  plant  were  observ- 
ed by  members  of  the  geological  corps  in  the  adjacent  sandstone  ridges. 
This  is  a  plant  which  occurs  in  the  millstone  grit,  but  more  abundantly 
at  the  base  of  the  coal  measures. 

It  is  a  question  of  interest  and  importance,  to  determine  whether  any 
portion  of  the  upper  sandstones  and  shales  of  Washington  county  can  be 
referred  to  the  true  coal  measures ;  since,  in  that  case,  there  would  be 
hope  of  finding  thicker  and  more  valuable  beds  of  coal  in  this  county  than 
have  yet  been  discovered.  At  present  no  coal  beds  are  known  of  more  than 
18  or  20  inches  ;  except  one,  with  a  clay  parting,  in  Mountain  township, 
on  the  head  of  the  Illinois  river,  6  or  7  miles  east  of  Boonsboro,  which  is 
about  two  feet  thick ;  and  those  beds,  at  present  known,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  df  Fayetteville,  in  shales  under  the  millstone  grit,  do  not  exceed 
one  foot. 


*l 

<D 
« 

fe 

Inches. 

UO 

J 
6? 

4? 
50? 

30? 
40? 

2 

2 

Fire  clay  and  shale. 

Sandstone. 
Pentrimital  limestone. 

Shales,  including  an  inch  or  two  of  coal,  in 
the  cut  below  Cato's  spring. 

Archimedes  limestone. 

Shales. 
Calcareous  band,  with  pyrites  ? 
Gypsiferous  shale. 
Black  shale  with  carbonate  of  iron. 

i'""""-1  i  L 

— 

L      |      L 

1     L    1 

L      |      L 

1     L     | 

L      |      L 

1      1      1      1 



-:  

116  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


On  section  18,  township  15  north,  range  29  west,  30  to  35  feet  of  shale 
are  exposed,  on  the  banks  of  Wood's  branch,  near  Orion  Rieffs'  house. 
In  this  shale,  and  11  to  12  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  creek,  a  band  of  dark 
grey  fossiliferous  limestone  occurs,  in  which  a  greyish  yellow  iron  pyrites  . 
is  disseminated,  that  has  attracted  no  small  attention  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  has  been  quarried  to  some  extent,  in  the  hopes  that  it  might  prove  to 
be  an  ore  of  silver.  Those  who  had  taken  the  trouble  and  labor  to  extract 
this  ore,  were  much  disappointed  that  I  could  give  them  no  encourage- 
ment to  prosecute  further  their  silver-mining  operations.  The  "Wood's 
branch  shale  underlies  the  Archimedes  cavernous  limestone  of  the  adja- 
cent ridges,  with,  perhaps,  some  interstratified  layers  of  sandstone,  and 
occupies,  in  all  probability,  a  geological  position  corresponding  to  that  of 
the  shale  in  the  Town  branch,  and  at  the  Lick,  one  mile  west  of  Fayette- 
ville. 

The  dark  grey,  pyritiferous,  fossiliferous  limestone,  contains  bellerophon, 
Productus  cora ;  also  a  nucula  and  euomphalus,  the  species  of  which  have 
not  yet  been  determined.  This  rock  would  take  a  polish,  but  from  the 
large  quantity  of  sulphuret  and  protoxide  of  iron  which  it  contains,  would 
be  liable  to  rust  and  stain,  if  exposed  to  atmospheric  agencies. 

The  succession  on  Wood's  branch  of  the  Middle  fork  of  White  river, 
on  township  15  north,  range  29  west,  is  as  follows  : 

1.  Brown  sandstone  with  amygdaloidal  cavities. 

2.  Space  concealed  with  shales  ? 

3.  Archimedes  cavernous  limestone. 

4.  Grey  and  black  shales,  with  perhaps  some  interstratified  sandstone, 
and  including,  near  its  base,  a  band  of  dark,  fossiliferous,  pyritiferous 
limestone,  and  segregations  of  carbonate  of  iron. 

The  carbonate  of  iron  is  quite  abundant  in  the  lower  part  of  this  shale, 
in  the  sections  both  of  the  Middle  and  West  fork  of  White  river,  so 
much  so,  that  I  believe  sufficient  ore  can  be  obtained  from  the  various 
localities  of  its  outcrop,  to  supply  a  furnace,  in  connection  with  ores  of 
the  limonite  variety,  which  can,  probably,  be  found  higher  up  over  the 
limestone. 

The  caverns  in  the  vicinity  of  Orion  Rieffs'  have  been  formed  by  the 
disintegration  of  the  concretionary  beds  of  the  Archimedes  limestone. 
They  are  low  and  difficult  of  access.  From  one  of  these  caverns,  some 
earth  was  collected  for  the  purpose  of  examining  it  for  nitre  ;  time  has  not 
yet  permitted  an  analysis  of  this  earth,  but  its  appearance  does  not  indi- 
cate a  large  per  centage  of  saltpetre. 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


117 


50 
to 
100 


40 

to 

60? 


30? 


Sandstone,  underlaid  by  shale  ?  in  all,  50  to 
100  feet  or  more  in  thickness. 


Archimedes,  cavernous,  and  concretionary 
limestone. 


Grey  shale;  pyritiferous  limestone  shale. 


The  succession  of  the 
rocks  on  the  waters  of 
the  Middle  Fork  of 
White  river,  is  exhibited 
in  the  accompanying 
diagram,  in  which  the 
position  of  the  bed  of 
dark  grey,  pyritiferous 
limestone  is  shown,  in- 
cluded in  the  shales  at 
the  base  of  the  section. 

Several  so-called  "  sul- 
phur springs,"  rise 
through  the  black  bitu- 
minous shales,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sections,  in 
the  central  part  of  Wash- 
ington county.  The  wa- 
ter of  one,  which  was  ob- 
tained from  John  May's 
place,  one  mile  south  of 
Fayetteville,  was  found 
contain,  as  its  principal 


by  the   application   of  chemical   reagents,  to 
constituents : 

Sulphate  of  magnesia,  (Epsom  salts). 

Sulphate  of  alumina,  a  trace. 

Sulphate  of  iron,  a  trace. 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbouate  of  magnesia. 

This  water  will  act  as  a  mild  laxative. 

County  surveyor  Ross  informed  me  that  there  has  been  some  difficulty 
in  running  lines  with  the  compass,  in  the  valleys  and  along  the  spurs  of 
some  of  the  hills,  with  what  is  considered  the  true  variation  in  this  part 
of  the  State,  of  8  deg.  80  min.  The  iron  ores  which  I  have  seen  on  the 
surface,  viz.,  limonite  ores  and  protocarbonate  of  iron,  do  not  affect  the 
magnetic  needle  ;  neither  have  ores  of  lead  any  influence  on  it :  it  is  only 
native  iron,  iron  ores  containing  a  combination  of  peroxide  and  protoxide, 
in  the  proportion  of  about  69  per  cent,  of  the  former,  and  31  of  the  latter, 
and  magnetic  iron  pyrites,  containing  about  40  per  cent,  of  sulphur  and 
60  of  iron,  that  attract  the  needle.  Those  localities  will  require,  therefore, 


118  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


to  be  examined  hereafter  for  such  ores,  when  the  survey  of  Washington 
is  made  in  detail. 

Samples  of  the  red  upland  soil  of  this  county  were  collected,  for  future 
chemical  analysis,  from  John  Rieffs'  farm,  on  section  31,  township  16 
north,  range  30  west,  where  the  growth  is  white  oak,  hickory,  overcup  oak, 
hackberry,  walnut,  box-elder,  slippery  elm,  black  ash,  dogwood,  and  black 
locust,  with  an  undergrowth  of  papaw,  spice,  and  large  grape  vines. 

This  soil  is  a  good  sample  of  the  red  uplands  of  the  centre  of  "Wash- 
ington county ;  it  resembles  the  Cane  hill  land,  but  is  less  siliceous ;  it 
overlies,  and  has  been  mostly  derived  from,  the  Archimedes  limestone  and 
its  associate  shales. 

The  ridge  that  divides  the  waters  of  the  West  fork  of  White  river  from 
those  of  the  Illinois  river,  is  composed  of  the  same  series  of  shales,  lime- 
stone, and  sandstone,  as  already  described,  at  Orion  Rieffs',  on  Wood's 
branch.  Here,  however,  the  junction  of  the  shale  with  the  limestone  can 
be  seen  better  than  at  that  locality. 

Near  the  bed  of  the  branch  that  runs  by  Bryant's  house,  a  pyritiferous 
dark  limestone  is  interstratified  in  the  shale,  similar  to  that  on  Wood's 
branch.  Twenty  feet  over  this  is  the  base  of  the  limestone,  which  is  about 
25  feet  in  thickness.  Eighty  feet  higher  is  the  top  of  the  sandstone,  but 
this  level  does  not  represent  its  true  thickness,  since  the  limestone  rises  so 
rapidly  to  the  north-west  that  it  reaches  the  surface  under  John  Tenny- 
son's farm  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  not  half  a  mile  from  Bryant's. 

A  bed  of  coal  of  six  to  seven  inches,  is  reported  by  Bryant,  on  the 
Davis  place,  on  the  waters  of  the  Illinois ;  one  a  foot  thick,  at  J.  Phillips', 
on  the  waters  of  the  West  fork  ;  a  bed  of  1  foot  to  18  inches  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Davis  ridge,  south  of  Henry  Boss's,  and  also  on  Morrison's 
place;  and  a  6  to  8  inches  seam  at  Curlis's,  low  down  in  the  Boston  range 
of  mountains.  The  outcrop  on  the  Morrison  place  is  generally  considered 
the  best  coal  for  blacksmiths'  use  in  this  part  of  Washington  county. 

Some  of  the  upper  layers  of  limestone,  at  A.  Bryant's,  contain  a 
considerable  per  ceutage  of  oxide  of  iron,  and  might  come  under  the 
denomination  of  Eisenkalkstein  of  the  Germans.  A  black  bed  of  lime- 
stone is  also  interstratified  in  the  mass  of  limestones,  besides  the  band 
included  in  the  underlying  shale. 

Near  the  line  between  township  15  and  16,  where  the  Cane  hill  road 
crosses  the  head  of  a  branch,  a  locality  was  pointed  out  to  me  where 
copper  ore  has  been  supposed  to  exist.  I  could  see  no  surface  indications 
to  corroborate  this  opinion,  neither  do  I  consider  the  rock  which  forms  the 
surface,  at  all  favorable  for  metalliferous  veins.  A  much  more  likely 
thing  to  be  discovered  in  the  rocks  of  this  part  of  Washington  county, 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


119 


where  they  form  synclinal  folds  or  troughs,  is  salt.  By  boring  a  few  hun- 
dred feet,  in  some  favorable  position,  it  is  highly  probable  a  productive 
brine  might  be  reached.  Such  a  place  is  the  Clay  lick,  on  the  property  of 
Maj.  John  Billingsley,  on  the  east  prong  of  the  Illinois  river,  near  where 
the  mountain  road  crosses  that  stream.  I  tested  water  which  oozes  up  in 
this  lick,  and  found  it  to  contain  a  notable  quantity  of  chloride  of  sodium, 
or  common  salt,  some  chloride  of  magnesium,  and  only  a  trace  of  sulphates. 

The  succession,  in  the 
ridge  south-west  of 
where  the  road  crosses 
the  East  fork  of  the  Illi- 
nois river,  is  represented 
in  the  annexed  diagram, 
the  levels  commencing 
in  the  bed  of  the  East 
fork  of  the  Illinois  river, 
and  extending  to  the  top 
of  the  ridge,  over  which 
the  road  passes. 

On  the  waters  of  the 
same  branch  of  the  Illi- 


o3 

o 
Pn 

|  inches. 

1    1 

,80 

J 
30 

70 

Soft  brown  sandstone. 
A  few  feet  of  limestone. 
Sandstone. 

Ferruginous  sandy  shales. 
Archimedes  limestones. 

1 

L     I-     I, 

1            1 

1           1 

L            L 

I     L    1 

L      |      L 

1     &    1 

L      |      L 

1     L     | 

nois  river,  on  Dr.  Kuy- 
kendall's  place,  a  fine 
chalybeate  spring  issues  from  the  bed  of  ferruginous  sandstone  of  the  mill- 
stone grit  series.  This  water  has  a  powerful  deoxidizing  effect,  instantly 
blackening  a  silver  solution,  even  without  the  addition  of  ammonia;  from 
this  fact  and  the  comparative  small  amount  of  carbonic  acid  present,  it  is 
probable  that  the  protoxide  of  iron  present,  is  held  in  solution  by  some 
organic  acid.  This  water  will  probably  be  found  to  have  valuable  alterative 
and  tonic  effects  combined. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Dr.  Kuykendall's  there  is  also  a  sulphur 
spring,  which  I  tested  and  found  it  to  contain,  as  its  principal  constituents  : 

Free  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Chloride  of  sodium. 

Chloride  of  magnesium. 

Only  a  trace  of  sulphates. 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

This  water,  having  more  saline  matter  (particularly  chlorides)  than  the 
water  tested  at  Thomas's,  2  miles  from  Fayetteville,  will  be  found  more 


120  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

laxative  in  its  effects  ;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  its  alterative  effects  will 
be  as  decided,  since  the  proportion  of  sulphur  appears  to  be  less.  As 
iodides  are  usually  an  accompaniment  of  chlorides,  this  water  will  proba- 
bly be  found  useful  in  reducing  glandular  swellings. 

At  the  blacksmith's  shop,  near  the  sulphur  spring,  I  saw  several  speci- 
mens of  coal,  found  in  this  county,  and  obtained  information  in  regard  to 
the  localities  of  others  ;  viz.,  the  Morrow  coal,  14  inches  thick,  considered 
to  be  the  best  for  blacksmiths'  use  ;  the  Dyer  coal,  12  inches  thick,  found 
on  the  second  bench  of  the  Boston  mountain,  which  is  a  heavier  coal  than 
the  former,  but  contains  impurities  ;  Barnet's  bank,  about  11  inches  thick, 
on  the  waters  of  Cove  creek ;  and  Store's  bank,  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
beyond,  and  about  the  same  thickness  as  that  at  Barnet's. 

On  Cane  hill,  close  by  James  Mitchell's  house,  the  Archimedes  limestone 
is  well  exposed,  and  is  quite  cavernous.  One  cave,  near  Win.  Mitchell's 
house,  is  about  180  feet  long,  and  seems  to  have  been  the  resort  of  bears 
and  other  wild  animals,  in  former  times.  It  occupies  precisely  the  same 
position  as  the  one  which  1  visited  near  Orion  Eieffs'.  The  succession  of 
the  rocks  on  Cane  hill  is  only  a  modification  of  the  preceding  section. 

1.  Fine-grained  sandstone,  15  to  20  feet. 

2.  Limestone,  a  few  feet. 

3.  Coarse  yellow  sandstone,  40  feet. 

4.  Greenish  grindstone  grit,  45  to  70  feet. 

5.  Archimedes  limestone,  60  feet. 

6.  Marly  shales  in  the  bed  of  the  branch. 

The  blacksmiths  of  Boonsboro  obtain  a  coal  from  section  16,  township 
14  north,  range  32  west,  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  town  ;  it  is  6 
or  8  inches  thick :  this  is  the  most  westerly  outcrop  of  coal  known  in  this 
county. 

Some  iron  ore  is  reported  in  Vineyard  township,  which  I  have  not  yet 
examined. 

A  bold  spring  issues  at  Boonsboro,  from  under  a  bench  of  Archimedes 
limestone,  45  feet  in  thickness.  The  new  College  has  been  built  on  a 
commanding  point  on  the  shaly  sandstones  that  occupy  the  hill,  immedi- 
ately above  the  platform  of  limestone.  Beneath  these  are  dark  shales, 
succeeded,  in  the  descending  order,  by  an  even-bedded,  brown  freestone, 
very  suitable  for  building  purposes.  The  road  to  the  Barren  fork  of  the 
Illinois  river  passes  for  several  miles  on  this  building-stone,  which,  being 
often  disjoined  and  displaced  from  the  giving  way  of  the  underlying  shale, 
renders  the  road  exceedingly  rough.  This  underlying  shale  is  of  no  great 
thickness,  and  overlies  chert  and  cherty  limestone,  which  forms  a  mural 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


121 


escarpment  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Barren  fork,  extending  down  to  the 
bed  of  that  stream. 

The  different  beds  and  their  order  of  superposition,  from  the  schistose 
sandstone  of  College  hill, , to  the  cherty  limestone  of  the  Barren  fork  of  the 
Illinois  river,  are  shown  in  the  annexed  section. 


45 


A  modification  is  ob- 
servable in  this  section, 
causing  it  to  differ  from 
those  sections  previously 
given  of  the  strata  under 
the  Archimedes  lime- 
stone :  it  consists  in  the 
introduction  of  the  build- 
ing-stone amongst  the 
underlying  shales.  Near 
the  Barren  fork,  the 
strata  have  a  strong  dip, 
9  to  13  deg.  north  north- 
east and  north-east. 
The  fossiliferous  lime- 
stone lies  in  a  pavement 
form,  with  a  regular  and 
deeply  marked  system  of 
joints,  having  a  course 
north-west  and  south- 
east. The  most  abund- 
ant fossils  in  this  rock  are 
Terebratula  plano-sulcata 
and  planum-bona  ;  Pro- 
ducing cora  and  a  Pro- 
ductus  allied  to  P.  semi- 
reticulatus  ;  a  favosite  re- 
sembling the  basaltica,  but  so  deeply  imbedded  and  firmly  attached  in  the 
substance  of  the  rock  that  they  could  not  be  properly  examined  in  place, 
nor  detached  without  defacing  them  in  such  a  manner  that  the  disposition 
of  the  rows  of  connecting  pores  could  not  be  seen  so  as  to  determine  their 
specific  character. 

Both  Productus  cora  and  Terebratula  plano-sulcata  were  found,  also,  in 
the  overlying  chert. 

This  limestone  has  marly  and  shaly  partings. 


Schistose  sandstones  of  College  hill. 


Archimedes  limestone  over  the  Boonsboro 
spring. 


Dark  shales,  10  to  15  feet  in  thickness 

Freestone  or  building-stone. 

Shale. 

Chert. 

Fossiliferous  limestone. 

Sandstone. 


Chert  and  cherty  limestones  of  the  Barren 
fork  of  the  Illinois  River. 


Black  shale  ? 


122  GEOLOGICAL   EECONNOISSANCE 

The  rock  which  forms  the  immediate  cliff  on  the  Barren  fork,  above 
Morrow's  house,  and  extends  down  to  the  bed  of  that  stream,  is  a  very 
rugged  and  cherty  limestone. 

Some  loose  pieces  of  lead  ore  having  been  found  in  the  bed-of  the  Barren 
fork,  some  shallow  pits  and  shafts  were  sunk  in  the  bluff  above,  into  this 
cherty  limestone,  and  about  100  pounds  of  lead  ore  taken  out  from  amongst 
the  red  clay  and  loose  chert,  some  of  which  will  yield  70  to  80  per  cent,  of 
lead.  Here  we  have  a  further  confirmation  of  the  lead-bearing  character 
of  this  barren  cherty  limestone  formation. 

This  rock  does  not  appear  to  be  as  thick  here  as  further  to  the  north, 
since  shale  has  been  struck  in  Morrow's  well  beneath  this  rock. 

Some  "  gravel  mineral"  has  also  been  found  in  the  bed  of  the  Barren 
fork  of  the  Illinois,  near  the  mill,  six  miles  from  Evansville. 

The  fossiliferous  limestone  was  again  seen,  three  and  a  half  miles  from 
Evansville,  overlying  dark  ferruginous,  and  light-colored  chert. 

The  succession  in  Vineyard  township  is,  therefore,  approximately  as  fol- 
lows : 

1.  Fine-grained  siliceous  rock,  approaching  to  the  texture  of  whet- 

stones in  its  character. 

2.  Limestone. 

3.  Shale? 

4.  Yellowish  coarse  sandstone. 

5.  Finer  grained  schistose  sandstone  of  the  character  of  grindstone  grit. 

6.  Archimedes  or  other  limestones. 

7.  Dark  shale  rocks. 

8.  Brown  freestone. 

9.  Shale. 

10.  Fossiliferous  chert. 

11.  Fossiliferous  limestone  witli  marly  and  shaly  partings. 

12.  Chert,  and 

13.  Cherty  limestone. 

14.  Black  shale. 

All  of  these  strata  belong  to  the  millstone  grit  and  underlying  subcarbo- 
niferous  group. 

Soon  after  leaving  Evansville,  we  ascended  a  high  ridge,  550  feet  above 
the  Barren  fork,  in  the  gap  through  which  the  road  passes. 

On  the  north-west  slope  of  this  spur  of  the  Boston  mountain  range,  the 
outcropping  ledges  of  rock  are  mostly  sandstone  and  subcarboniferous lime- 
stone, with  some  alternations  of  shale.  In  this  side  the  Archimedes  lime- 
stone was  observed  at  an  elevation  of  240  feet.  On  the  south-east  slope 
of  the  mountain  an  immense  mass  of  marly  shale  makes  its  appearance, 


OF   ARKANSAS.  123 


with  some  intercalated  beds  of  limestone.  The  top  of  this  marly  shale  is 
230  feet  below  the  summit.  It  is  at  least  100  feet  in  thickness,  down  to 
the  junction  of  this  shale  and  an  underlying  bed  of  limestone. 

The  rocks  are  evidently  much  disturbed  in  this  mountain.  At  one  point 
in  the  descent,  a  dip  of  4  deg.  south-west  was  observed ;  but  a  short 
distance  further  the  dip  was  reversed. 


CRAWFORD    COUNTY. 

Close  to  the  spring,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  over  which  we  passed 
from  the  Barren  fork  of  the  Illinois  to  Lee's  creek,  the  Archimedes  lime- 
stone is  in  place,  260  feet  below  the  level  of  the  principal  mass  of  corre- 
sponding limestone,  in  the  section  of  the  north-west  slope  of  the  mountain. 

There  is  no  doubt  a  dislocation  of  the  whole  of  the  rocks  of  the  moun- 
tain with  a  subsidence  to  the  south-east,  which  causes  so  sudden  a  depres- 
sion of  this  limestone. 

Associated  with  Archimedes  at  the  spring,  near  the  foot  of  the  mountain, 
on  Lee's  creek,  occurs  Agassizocrinus  conicus. 

Lee's  creek  meanders  for  many  miles  at  the  base  of  high  cliffs  and 
slopes  of  the  spurs  of  the  Boston  mountain  range,  which  are  composed  of 
sandstones,  shales,  and  limestone,  belonging  to  the  age  of  the  millstone 
grit  and  subcarboniferous  group,  the  strata  gradually  dipping  down  stream ' 
towards  the  south.  ~No  coal  has  ever  yet  been  discovered  on  this  part  of 
Lee's  creek,  but  near  its  head,  15  miles  above  Alfred  Smith's  place,  a  bed 
is  represented  as  occurring,  and  ranging  from  10  to  12  inches  in  thickness. 

Half  a  mile  below  Alfred  Smith's  farm,  sandstone  was  observed  dipping 
10  deg.  to  the  south-east,  the  Archimedes  limestone  being  no  longer  visible 
above  the  bed  of  Lee's  creek. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  features  in  the  scenery  of  north-western 
Arkansas  is  the  "Natural  Dam,"  represented  in  the  steel  plate  engraving 
forming  the  frontispiece  to  this  volume.  It  is  formed  by  a  solid  bed  of 
sandstone,  from  6  to  8  feet  in  thickness,  which  runs  entirely  across  the 
bed  of  Lee's  creek,  forming  a  natural  barrier  to  the  descent  of  the  water, 
in  consequence  of  the  gradual  dip  of  the  rock  up  stream  towards  the  north- 
east, at  an  angle  of  4  to  5  deg.  being  just  the  proper  inclination  to 
dam  the  water  back,  and  throw  it  to  a  sluice,  that  might  bo  solidly  and 
permanently  fixed  to  this  rock  wall  near  where  it  runs  into  the  north-west 
bank. 

The  log  mill,  seen  in  the  frontispiece,  is  one  of  the  rudest  description  ; 


124  GEOLOGICAL    EECONNOISSANCE 

hardly  capable  of  grinding  30  to  40  bushels  per  day ;  quite  insufficient  even 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  immediate  neighbors.  The  efficiency  of 
this  natural  dam,  running,  as  it  does,  from  bank  to  bank,  with  just  the 
proper  inclination  and  a  slightly  diagonal  direction,  across  the  entire  water- 
course ;  the  solidity  of  its  natural  masonry,  destined  to  endure  for  ages ;  its 
situation  in  the  midst  of  a  valley,  which  though  contracted  in  its  dimensions 
by  the  mountain  fastnesses  that  bound  it  on  both  sides,  is,  nevertheless  fertile 
and  capable  of  supporting  a  moderate  population :  all  combine  to  make 
this  natural  mill-site  an  object  of  great  interest,  and  its  many  advantages 
would  justify  the  erection  of  a  substantial  building,  fitted  up  with  all  the 
modern  improvements  in  the  machinery  of  a  well-regulated  business  grist- 
mill ;  this  would  attract  customers,  not  alone  from  the  valleys  of  the  differ- 
ent branches  of  Lee's  creek,  but  also  from  the  neighboring  mountains, 
and  more  distant  settlements,  and  contribute,  perhaps,  more  than  any  im- 
provement that  could  be  introduced  into  the  country,  to  attract  fresh  popu- 
lation, and  render  the  condition  of  its  present  inhabitants  independent, 
comfortable,  and  agreeable.  Notwithstanding  the  continual  wear  to  which 
this  member  of  the  millstone  grit  series — more  durable  than  its  associate 
beds — is  continually  subject,  not  alone  from  the  mechanical  force  exerted 
by  the  running  waters  of  Lee's  creek,  but  from  the  almost  irresistible 
power  of  expansion,  caused  by  the  alternate  thawing  and  freezing  of  the 
water,  continually  permeating  its  mass  ;  it  stands  yet,  a  monument  of  ages, 
bearing  testimony  to  the  strength  and  insolubility  of  the  siliceous  cement 
that  binds  the  particles  together,  and  the  stability  of  the  individual  grains 
of  which  its  substance  is  composed ;  and  it  affords,  at  the  same  time,  a 
striking  example  how  enduring  architectural  edifices  maybe  made,  if  con- 
structed of  such  freestone,  judiciously  selected,  well  built,  and  strongly 
jointed  with  good  mortar. 

The  ridge,  passed  over  about  two  miles  from  the  Natural  Dam,  is  about 
390  feet  above  Lee's  creek,  and  is  composed,  so  far  as  can  be  seen,  of  sand- 
stones and  shales  of  the  age  of  the  millstone  grit;  with,  perhaps,  a  cap- 
ping of  some  of  the  lower  members  of  the  overlying  coal  measures. 

It  is  nearly  of  the  same  materials  that  compose  the  high  range  of  hills 
above  the  town  of  Van  Buren,  which  has  a  commanding  view  over  the 
valley  of  the  Arkansas.  From  these  heights,  in  a  clear  day,  Fort  Smith 
can  be  seen,  while  the  bluff  opposite  to  it  and  the  glistening  water-line, 
marking  the  bend  of  the  Arkansas  river,  where  it  emerges  from  Indian 
territory  and  sweeps  past  Fort  Smith,  can  be  distinctly  seen  at  all  times ; 
also  the  distant  range  of  hills,  running  from  the  Choctaw  country  towards 
Sebastian  county,  including  the  House  and  Sugar  Loaf  mountains ;  with 
the  small  prairie  in  the  middle  ground,  which  is  said  to  be  underlaid  by 


OF   ARKANSAS.  125 


coal.*  The  accompanying  wood-cut  [see  p.  127]  is  engraved  from  a  rapid 
sketch  of  this  extensive  prospect,  comprising  the  various  objects  above  enu- 
merated, taken  from  the  above  heights,  north-west  of  the  town  of  Van 
Buren.  At  the  foot  of  this  hill,  and  in  the  cuts  of  the  ravines  immediately 
back  of  the  town  of  Van  Buren,  23  to  25  feet  of  shale  are  exposed,  the 
lower  portion  of  which,  for  ten  feet,  is  black  and  bituminous.  One  hun- 
dred and  ten  feet  more  of  shale  have  been  passed  through  in  the  well  sunk 
at  Penny  wit  &  Scott's  mill,  including,  near  the  bottom,  a  small  seam  of 
coal,  reported  18  inches  thick. 

The  strata  immediately  exposed,  adjacent  to  the  town  of  Van  Buren, 
are : 

Sandstone. 

Grey  shale  and  shaly  sandstone,  with  ferruginous  segregations,  30  feet. 

Black  and  reddish  shales,  15  feet. 

Blackish  grey  shale,  with  segregations  of  carbonate  of  iron,  15  feet. 

Shales,  including  18  inch  coal,  passed  through  in  the  steam  mill  well 
below  the  town  of  Van  Buren,  110  feet. 

These  shales  lie  no  doubt  at  the  base  of  the  millstone  grit,  as  we  found 
in  the  overlying  sandstone,  150  or  200  feet  above  these  shales,  the  same 
curious  impressions  of  plants  (?)  which  occur  in  the  millstone  grit  of  Van 
Buren  county,  near  Theodore  Goodlow's,  showing  the  great  extent  and  re- 
markable persistency  of  this  formation,  as  it  extends  through  the  northern 
counties  of  Arkansas. 

The  sandstones  and  shales  seen  in  section  in  the  Ozark  mountains,  north 
of  Van  Buren,  have  much  the  lithological  character  of  the  "  Barren  Coal 
Measures"  of  the  eastern  coal  field  of  Kentucky,  in  which  schistose  earthy 
sandstones  predominate  ;  but  it  is  not  improbable  that  they  may  be  all  re- 
ferrible  to  the  millstone  grit,  which  seems  to  have  an  enormous  expansion, 
and  to  occupy  great  areas  in  the  north-west  counties  of  Arkansas. 

Four  or  five  miles  north-west  of  Van  Buren,  in  some  of  the  deep  cuts 
where  red  and  ferruginous  shales  are  exposed,  more  or  less  iron  ore  was 
observed,  but  mostly  of  a  siliceous  character. 

The  shales,  at  the  base  of  the  hills,  bordering  on  the  Arkansas  river, 
noted  in  the  preceding  sections,  seem  to  underlie  a  great  extent  of  country 
not  only  in  this  county,  but  for  a  great  distance  down  the  valley  of  the 
Arkansas  river,  in  a  south-east  direction. 

As  limestone  is  a  very  scarce  article  in  this  county,  it  may  be  well  to 
take  note  that  there  is  a  dark  grey,  ferruginous,  calcareous  bed,  that  crops 
out,  not  only  near  the  sulphur  springs  in  the  bed  of  the  Sulphur  branch  of 

*  This  country,  south  of  the  Arkansas  river,  has  not  yet  been  explored. 


126  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNAISSANCE 

Webber's  creek,  but  on  Baker's  hill,  2  miles  from  the  springs,  and  on  a 
hillside,  7  miles  north-west  of  Van  Buren  and  1  mile  from  the  Dripping 
springs.  This  rock  will  doubtless  burn  to  lime,  and  yield  an  article  which, 
though  dark,  will  probably  make  a  good  mortar  for  building  purposes.- 

It  is  very  probable  that  this  ferruginous,  fossiliferous  limestone  may  be 
found  about  one-third  of  the  distance  up  the  high  hill  back  of  Van  Buren; 
for,  being  encrusted  with  a  rusty  external  coating,  it  is  difficult  to  distin- 
guish it,  in  its  native  bed,  from  the  associate  sandstones.  This  limestone 
varies  from  3  to  8  inches  in  thickness. 

The  Pennywit  sulphur  water  was  tested  at  the  fountain  head.  Its  prin- 
cipal constituents  are : 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

Chloride  of  sodium,  or  common  salt. 

Chloride  of  magnesium. 

Trace  of  sulphate  of  soda  (Glauber  salts.) 

Trace  of  sulphate  of  magnesia  (Epsom  salts.) 

A  trace  of  free  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

The  taste  of  this  water,  and  the  small,  white,  fibrous  sediment,  formed 
in  the  gum  log  through  which  it  rises,  favor  the  view  that  there  is  some 
sulphur  in  this  water,  combined  either  with  some  organic  principle  or  other 
substance.  It  will  be  observed  that  this  water  contains  a  notable  quantity 
of  common  salt ;  this  fact,  taken  in  connection  with  the  formation  through 
which  it  wells  up,  and  the  celullar  nature  of  the  sandstones  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  springs,  renders  it  probable  that,  if  the  Sulphur  branch  of  the  "Web- 
ber fork  of  Lee's  creek  flows  in  a  synclinal  trough  (as  it  very  likely  does, 
from  the  dip  of  the  strata  being  reversed  towards  the  valley  of  the  Arkan- 
sas river),  a  good,  profitable  brine  might  be  reached  by  putting  down  a 
systematic  boring  in  the  neighborhood  of  these  springs. 

For  further  remarks  on  this  county,  see  the  Report  of  the  Assistant 
Geologist. 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


129 


JOHNSON    COUNTY. 

My  own  observations  in  this  county,  have  been  confined,  as  yet,  to  the 
coal  regions  of  the  Spadra.* 

The  best  locality  for  the  examination  of  the  Spadra  coal,  is  a  few 
hundred  yards  above  the  confluence  of  Spadra  creek  with  the  Arkansas 
river,  on  the  property  of  E.  B.  Alston.  An  opening  has  been  made  there 
into  this  coal,  a  foot  or  two  above  low  water,  where  it  can  be  seen  under 
a  high  bank  of  dark  shales  and  over  flagstones,  which  appear  in  the  bed 
of  Spadra  creek,  with,  probably,  some  intervening  fire-clay  which  could 
not,  however,  be  seen,  in  consequence  of  the  water  that  had  collected  in 
the  drift.  This  coal  is  three  feet  thick,  including  a  clay  parting  of  3  to  4 
inches,  one  foot  from  the  bottom  of  the  bed.  The  underlying  flagstones, 
in  the  bed  of  Spadra,  dip  from  3  to  5  deg.  to  the  north,  in  which  dip 
the  coal  is  doubtless  implicated ;  but  the  state  of  the  opening  prevented  me 

from  making  an  observa- 
tion for  dip  in  the  drift. 

The  annexed  section 
exhibits  the  position  of 
this  coal,  and  its  relation 
with  the  associate  beds. 
On  Spadra  creek,  no- 
thing lower  than  the  up- 
per layers  of  flagstones 
can  be  seen  :  but  on  the 


north  bank  of  the  Ar- 
kansas river,  under  E.  B. 
Alston's  house,  the  con- 
tinuation of  these  flag- 
stones can  be  observed, 
resting  on  indurated,  ar- 
gillaceous shale,  with 
hard  bands  of  sandstone, 
extending  down  to  low 
water  of  that  stream,  as 
shown  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  preceding  section. 


o> 

ID 

h 

CO 

S> 

^ 

o 

I-H 

20 

1 
1 

10 
5 

9 
3 

Dark,  argillaceous  shale,  with  scales  of  mica, 
and  containing  segregations  of  an  indurated 
material,  similar  to  the  matrix. 

V  Three  feet  coal  with  clay  parting;  fireclay? 
Flagstones. 

Indurated  shale. 
Band  of  sandstone. 

'ndurated  grey  argillaceous  shale,  with  hard 
band. 

1 

1 

1 

1 

s  s  s  s 



*  For  further  remarks  on  this  county,  see  the  Report  of  the  Assistant  Geologist. 

9 


130  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

The  shale  that  forms  the  roof  of  the  coal,  is  considerably  indurated  and 
of  an  argillo-siliceous  composition,  with  disseminated  scales  of  mica,  and 
includes  segregations  of  a  material  not  very  different  from  its  matrix,  but 
harder  and  heavier.  Some  obscure  stems  and  long  slender  leaves  or 
glumes  of  some  plant  can  be  discovered,  by  splitting  up  the  shale ;  but 
their  specific  and  even  generic  characters  are  difficult  to  make  out.  The 
dark  shales,  forming  the  roof  of  this  coal,  are  visible  in  sections  at  several 
bends  of  Spadra  creek,  for  more  than  a  mile  above  its  mouth.  From  the 
dip  of  the  rock,  there  is  no  doubt  that  this  coal  could  be  reached  by  shafts 
of  reasonable  depth,  sunk  in  or  near  the  town  of  Clarksville. 

The  character  of  this  coal  is  worthy  of  especial  notice.  The  approximate 
chemical  analysis  here  given  shows  it  to  be  a  semi-anthracite,  rich  in  carbon, 
and  containing  a  small  proportion  of  ochre-colored  ashes  ;  with  only  8.4 
per  cent,  of  volatile  matter,  including  moisture  expelled  at  300  deg.  of 
Fahrenheit's  thermometer.  Its  specific  gravity  is  1.335. 

The  approximate  analysis  gives : 

Volatile  matters,  ,  8.4  /  Moisture,     V  ,'iV     '     '     '     ?•<> 

\  Volatile  combustible  gases,     .     7.9 

pi  01  «   /  Fixed  carbon, 85.6 

\  Ashes  (ochre  yellow),     ...     6.0 

100.0  100.0 

This  coal  contains  a  far  higher  per  centage  of  fixed  carbon  than  any 
western  coal  that  has  ever  been  analyzed  in  my  laboratory,  except  some 
coals*  which  I  received  from  Arkansas  some  years  before  the  commence- 
ment of  the  survey. 

In  this  respect,  the  Spadra  coal  resembles  the  coals  of  the  Shamokin 
basin,  of  Pennsylvania  ;  especially  the  Zerbe's  run  semi-anthracite  ;  con- 
taining, in  fact,  1.35  per  cent,  more  fixed  carbon  than  that  coal,  and  nearly 
1  per  cent,  less  ashes.  Its  gaseous  matter  is  chiefly  hydrogen,  as  its 
luminous  property  is  so  feeble  as  hardly  to  be  distinguishable  by  daylight, 
when  this  coal  is  exposed  to  a  red  heat  in  an  open  spoon.  The  existence 
of  a  semi-anthracite  coal  in  the  west  is  the  more  surprising,  since  the  for- 

*  One  of  the  specimens  of  coal  was  said  to  be  from  White  county,  and  most  probably  from  the 
bed  mentioned  in  the  section  of  that  county.  It  had  a  specific  gravity  of  1.39,  and  gave  by  analysis: 

Volatile  matters,  including  moisture, 10 

Fixed  carbon  in  coke,         86 

Ashes, 4 

100 
Another  specimen,  said  to  be  from  the  Petite  Jean  mountain,  yielded  : 

Volatile  matters,  including  moisture, 8.5 

Coke,  including  ashes, 91.5 

100.0 


OF    ARKANSAS.  131 


mation  in  which  it  occurs  is  comparatively  level,  undisturbed,  and  bear- 
ing little  evidence  of  metamorphism  or  change  by  internal  heat ;  while  the 
coals  of  similar  composition  in  Pennsylvania  occur,  as  we  are  informed 
by  Hayes  and  Rogers,  only  in  coal  fields  and  isolated  patches,  in  the  most 
disturbed  portions  of  the  Appalachian  chain,  and  are  associated  with  some 
of  the  boldest  flexures  and  greatest  dislocations  of  the  whole  coal  region 
of  that  State.  The  nearest  rock  of  undoubted  igneous  origin  to  this  coal, 
at  present  known  to  me  in  Arkansas,  is  situated  in  Hot  Spring  county,* 
some  sixty  miles,  in  a  direct  line,  south  of  the  Spadra ;  yet,  here  we  have 
a  coal,  possessing  all  the  chemical  properties  of  the  semi-anthracites,  that 
are  usually  found  in  the  midst  of  the  most  striking  evidence  of  decided 
igneous  action.  The  inference  which  I  draw  from  these  facts,  is  that,  though 
granite  and  other  hypogene  (nether-born)  rocks  do  not  actually  reach  the 
surface  in  Johnson  county,  as  far  as  at  present  known,  they  must  be  near 
enough  the  surface  to  have  exerted  an  igneous  action,  sufficient  to  have 
permeated  the  strata,  now  found  on  Spadra  creek,  with  heated  vapors  or 
gases,  that  have  expelled  the  greater  portion  of  the  gaseous  matter ;  or 
else  this  coal  has  been  subject  to  some  extraordinary  chemical  agency,  by 
which  carburetted  hydrogen  has  been  removed.  It  is  hardly  possible  that 
the  Spadra  coal  can  owe  its  present  composition  to  any  difference  in  the 
vegetation  from  which  it  was  originally  produced  ;  since  it  would  be,  in  that 
case,  a  strange  exception  to  anything  previously  observed  in  the  bitumi- 
nous coal  fields  in  any  of  the  States  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains. 
But  the  peculiar  fissured  structure  of  the  Spadra  coal  favors  the  idea, 
that  the  volatile  matter  has  been  expelled  by  a  process  more  rapid  than 
can  be  attributed  to  slow  chemical  changes,  unaided  by  an  elevation  of 
temperature ;  since  the  escape  of  the  volatile  matter  by  heat  causes  an 
expansion  of  the  particles,  and  that  severing  the  coal,  gives  it  a  friable 
tendency.  The  Spadra  coal,  in  common  with  the  semi-anthracites  of  the 
Shamokin  coal  field  of  Pennsylvania,  possesses  this  peculiar  subdivision  into 
cuboidal  lumps,  indicative  of  a  quicker  escape  of  the  expansible  gases 
than  would  take  place  under  prolonged  chemical  evolution. 

This  question  of  a  former  subterranean  igneous  action  is  interesting,  not 
only  in  its  relation  to  the  influence  it  may  have  exerted  upon  the  coals  of 
the  Arkansas  valley,  but  also,  in  its  important  bearing  upon  the  metalliferous 
character  of  the  underlying  geological  formations  ;  since  it  is  a  matter  of 
experience,  that  rocks  are  more  apt  to  be  intersected  by  metallic  veins  in 
districts  adjacent  to  axes  of  dislocation  ;  and  these  are  a  frequent  accom- 
paniment of  subterranean  igneous  action. 

*  It  is  likely  that  granite  or  some  other  igneous  rock  may  be  found  in  Montgomery  county. 


132  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


From  the  insight  obtained  into  the  chemical  composition  of  this  coal,  by 
an  approximate  chemical  analysis,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  the  valuable 
properties  of  this  coal  have  hitherto  been  overlooked. 

The  experiments  of  Johnson,  De  la  Beche,  Playfair,  Hayes  and  Rogers, 
on  different  coals,  as  well  as  the  experience  in  the  East,  go  to  prove  that, 
though  the  semi-anthracites  may  not  be  the  best  adapted  for  some  pur- 
poses, they  have  far  higher  heating  and  considerably  more  reducing  powers 
than  the  best  bituminous  coals;  and,  besides,  the  semi-anthracites  will 
evaporate,  in  a  given  time,  from  15  to  20  per  cent,  more  pounds  of  water 
than  bituminous  coals.  It  has  been  shown,  moreover,  by  Hayes  and 
Rogers,  that  the  efficiency  of  the  semi-anthracites  in  these  operations  is 
due  to  the  total  amount  of  carbon  that  enters  into  the  composition  of 
both  coke  and  volatile  combustible  matter,  but  principally  to  the  amount 
of  fixed  carbon  to  be  found  in  the  coke  alone ;  for  it  appears  that  the 
volatile  carbon,  i.  e.  the  carbon  which  escapes  as  gas  in  the  form  of 
carburetted  hydrogen,  contributes  but  little  to  the  actual  heating  effect, 
since  the  greater  part  of  the  caloric,  generated  by  the  combustion  of  this 
gas,  becomes  latent  or  absorbed  by  its  change  of  state,  from  the  solid  or 
condensed  condition  in  which  it  exists  in  the  coal,  into  the  elastic  gaseous 
form  it  assumes  during  combustion. 

Now,  the  analysis  of  the  Spadra  coal  proves  it  to  contain  25  to  30  per 
cent,  more  fixed  carbon  in  the  coke  than  the  best  bituminous  coals*  of 
Europe  or  America;  and  it  even  exceeds,  by  1.35  per  cent,  that  of  the 
richest  semi-anthracites  of  Pennsylvania  ;  it  has  3.83  per  cent,  more  fixed 
carbon  in  the  coke  than  the  celebrated  "Parker  vein,"  of  George  creek 
valley,  Maryland. 

Of  the  forty-three  coals  reported  on  by  Johnson,  in  his  work  on  Ameri- 
can coals,  the  semi-anthracite  of  Lyken's  valley  approaches  nearest  in 
composition  to  the  Spadra  coal,  as  will  be  seen  by  comparing  the  following 
approximate  analyses  of  these  two  coals  : 

Spadra.      Lyken's  valley. 

Volatile  combustible  matter, 7.9  6.88 

Fixed  carbon, 85.6  83.84 

Ashes, 6.0  9.25 

The  composition  of  the  Spadra  coal  approaches  so  nearly  to  that  of  the 
Lyken's  valley  coal  of  Pennsylvania,  that  we  may  assume  the  practical 

*  A  sample  of  Pittsburg  coal,  analyzed  by  Johnson,  gave  54.93  fixed  carbon.  A  specimen, 
analyzed  by  Dr.  Robert  Peter,  65.30  fixed  carbon  in  coke.  A  specimen  of  Yougliiogheny  coal, 
analyzed  by  myself,  gave  60.14  fixed  carbon  in  coke.  Johnson's  specimen  must  have  been  an 
inferior  specimen,  for  the  best  Pittsburg  coals  always  give  a  larger  per  centage  of  fixed  carbon  in 
the  coke  than  54.93. 


OF   ARKANSAS.  133 


properties  observed  by  experiments  on  this  coal  by  Johnson,  to  be  very 
nearly  the  same  as  those  that  would  be  found  in  the  Spadra  coal,  if  sub- 
jected to  the  same  tests  ;  I,  therefore,  subjoin  some  of  the  most  important 
characters  representing  the  efficiency  of  that  coal,  compared  with  Pitts- 
burg  coal ;  one  of  the  best  known  and  most  generally  useful  of  our  western 
bituminous  coals. 

"While  one  part  of  Pittsburg  bituminous  coal  will  generate  8.2  pounds 
of  steam  at  a  temperature  of  212  deg.,  the  same  quantity  of  Lyken's  valley 
semi-anthracite,  will  generate  9.46  pounds  of  steam  at  212  deg. 

While  one  cubic  foot  of  Pittsburg  coal  will  generate  384  pounds  of 
steam,  one  cubic  foot  of  Lyken's  valley  semi-anthracite  will  generate  459 
pounds  of  steam. 

The  reducing  power  of  semi-anthracites  is  considerably  greater  than 
that  of  bituminous  coal ;  as  is  shown  by  the  relative  amounts  of  litharge 
reduced  to  lead  by  these  same  coals:  28.89  parts  being  reduced  by  Pitts- 
burg coal,  while  32.6  are  reduced  by  the  same  quantity  of  Lyken's  valley 
semi-anthracite. 

The  Spadra  coal  resembles  still  more  closely  the  Zerbe's  run  coal  of  the 
Shamokin  coal  field  of  Pennsylvania,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  annexed  com- 
parative approximate  analyses  : 

Spadra.  Zerbe's  run. 

Volatile  combustible  matter, 7.90  7.31 

Fixed  carbon, 85.6  84,25 

Ashes, 6.0  6.11 

Hayes  and  Rogers  estimate  the  water  evaporated  at  212  deg.,  by  1  pound 
Zerbe's  run  coal,  at  9.58  pounds.  The  rate  of  evaporation  per  hour,  to  one 
square  foot  of  grate,  is  88.92,  while  the  average  for  bituminous  coal  is  70.92 
under  the  same  circumstances. 

The  combined  evaporative  power  and  speed  for  the  Zerbe's  run  semi-an- 
thracite are  represented  by  the  numbers  4f77.4,  while  taking  equal  bulks 
of  the  averages  of  bituminous  coals,  under  the  same  circumstances,  the 
numbers  would  be  3456.0. 

These  semi-anthracites  burn  after  the  manner  of  the  natural  coke  of 
Virginia,  throwing  out,  when  fully  ignited,  an  intense  heat,  accompanied 
by  a  blue  flame. 

They  require,  it  is  true,  a  tolerably  strong  draft  to  bring  them  into  full 
combustion,  and,  therefore,  are  perhaps  i;ot  so  suitable  for  open  grates  as 
the  more  inflammable  bituminous  coals,  requiring  usually  the  addition  of 
blowers  to  increase  the  current  of  air  passing  through  the  grate,  until  the 


134 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


fire  is  fairly  started  ;  and  this  is  probably  the  reason  why  these  coals,  when 
first  introduced  into  the  eastern  cities,  were  rejected  as  altogether  unman- 
ageable and  impracticable.  Now,  even  the  harder  anthracites  are  in  com- 
mon use  in  Philadelphia  and  New  York  for  heating  apartments,  and  some- 
times in  open  grates,  with  temporary  blowers  ;  and  it  is  now  universally 
admitted  that,  for  forges,  rolling  mills,  and  blast  furnaces  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  iron,  the  semi-anthracites  are  unsurpassed. 


No.  11.— PART  OF  THE  BOSTON  MOUNTAIN  RANGE,  NEWTON  COUNTY. 


OF   ARKANSAS.  135 


GENERAL  SUMMARY,  INFERENCES,  AND  REMARKS  IN 

CONCLUSION. 


THE  three  leading  formations  of  the  northern  counties  of  Arkansas,  west 
of  Black  river  to  the  Indian  boundary,  and  north  of  the  Arkansas  river, 
are: 

First.  The  millstone  grit,  with  its  associate  shales,  and  conglomerate. 

Second.  The  subcarboniferous  limestone,  and  its  associate  chert,  shales, 
and  sandstones. 

Third.  The  magnesian  limestones,  and  their  associate  sandstones,  cal- 
ciferous  sandrocks,  and  chert,  belonging  to  the  lower  silurian  period. 

The  formation  known  in  Kentucky,  Indiana,  and  Tennessee,  under  the 
name  of  the  knob  sandstone,  is  absent,  or  only  very  obscurely  represented. 
It  is  doubtful,  too,  whether  the  grey  and  black  bituminous  shales  and 
slates,  belonging  to  the  devonian  period,  are  to  be  found  in  Arkansas. 
There  are  a  few  encrinital  and  variegated  limestones  and  associated  chert, 
which  intervene  between  the  magnesian  limestones  of  lower  silurian  date 
and  the  subcarboniferous  chert  and  limestones ;  these  may  belong  to  the 
devonian  era,  but,  as  yet,  I  have  no  positive  evidence  to  decide  fully  this 
question. 

No  rocks  have  yet  come  under  observation  which  I  have  'been  able  to 
refer  unequivocally  to  the  upper  silurian  period,  such  as  occur  in  Jefferson 
county,  Kentucky,  Clarke  county,  Indiana,  and  elsewhere  in  these  States, 
under  the  coralline  beds  of  the  falls  of  the  Ohio. 

East  of  Black  river,  in  Greene,  Poinsett,  and  Randolph  counties,  inco- 
herent sands,  loose  and  cemented  gravel,  and  clays  of  quaternary  date, 
prevail. 

No  crystalline*  or  hypogene  rocks,  i.  e.,  no  rocks  which  have  been 
protruded  from  beneath,  as  mountain  masses,  dykes,  or  veins,  possessing 
the  structure  of  granite  or  syenite,  have  been  observed,  as  yet,  by  the 

*  A  red  granite  is  reported  on  Spavinaw  creek,  near  the  Cherokee  line.  Whether  this  be  correct 
information,  I  am,  at  present,  unable  to  say,  as  I  have  not  examined  the  locality. 


136  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

geological  corps,  north  of  the  Arkansas  river :  i.  e.,  in  the  part  of  the  State 
on  which  I  am  now  reporting. 

Arkansas  is  destined,  I  believe,  to  take  the  lead  of  all  the  "Western 
States,  in  her  resources  in  ores  of  zinc  and  manganese. 

The  magnesian  limestone,  belonging  to  the  lower  silurian  period,  seems 
to  be  the  great  repository  of  the  zinc  ore,  of  which  there  are  three  princi- 
pal varieties  :  the  pure  carbonate  of  zinc — the  calamine  or  smithsonite  of 
mineralogists — the  silicate  of  zinc  or  electric  calamine — and  the  sulphuret 
of  zinc  or  blende  (black-jack  of  the  miner). 

The  analyses  of  these  ores  prove  them  to  be  at  least  as  rich  as,  if  not 
richer  and  purer  than,  the  zinc  ores  of  the  most  noted  localities  in  Europe; 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  be  worked  with  profit  to  the 
miner  and  smelter,  as  well  as  with  benefit  to  the  State  of  Arkansas  in 
particular,  and  to  the  United  States  in  general. 

The  manganese  ores  have,  chiefly,  been  found  in  the  cavernous  sub- 
carboniferous  limestones.  These  ores  appear  to  be  very  abundant.  A 
compact  variety,  allied  to  psilomelane,  is  the  kind  which  I  found  most 
common  on  the  surface,  but  there  are  other  softer  varieties,  which  have 
proved,  on  analysis,  to  compare  favorably  with  those  of  Thuringia,  the 
most  celebrated  European  locality. 

Arkansas  promises,  also,  to  afford  considerable  lead  ore,  which  occurs 
both  in  the  magnesian  limestones  of  lower  silurian  date,  and  in  the  sub- 
carboniferous  limestones ;  also  in  the  slates  of  the  base  of  the  millstone 
grit,  where  these  border  on  the  confines  of  the  granite  region  of  Pulaski 
county. 

The  lead  ore  in  this  latter  position  is  rich  in  silver,  probably  more  so 
than  the  argentiferous  galenas  of  Europe,  which  have  been  wrought  to 
any  extent.  The  only  ore,  which  has  been  cupelled  in  my  laboratory, 
that  surpasses  it  in  the  per  centage  of  contained  silver,  is  some  of  the 
steel-grey,  finely  crystalline  argentiferous  galena  from  Villeport,  near 
Lozere,  in  France. 

Fragments  of  a  porous  lead  ore,  picked  up  among  the  rubbish  at  the 
mouth  of  one  of  the  shafts  in  Pulaski  county,  yielded  by  cupellation  from 
the  reduced  lead,  at  the  rate  of  224  ounces  from  the  ton  of  2,000  pounds  ; 
and  a  specimen  of  a  bright,  steel-grey  ore,  finely  crystalline  in  its  struc- 
ture, from  the  same  mines,  obtained  in  Little  Rock,  gave  as  much  as  339.2 
ounces  to  the  ton  of  2,000  pounds. 

The  cherty  limestone,  which  underlies  the  barrens  and  prairies  of  the 
north-west  part  of  the  State,  promises  to  afford  rich  deposits  of  lead  ore,  as 
the  geological  formation  is  a  complete  counterpart  of  that  around  the 
already  famous  lead  mines  of  Granby,  in  Newton  county,  Missouri. 


OF    ARKANSAS.  137 


The  lead  region  in  the  lower  magnesian  limestones,  bears  more  of  the 
character  of  those  in  Taney  county,  Missouri. 

Iron  ore  promises  to  be  abundant  in  all  the  three  leading  formations ; 
especially  in  Pope,  Pulaski,  Randolph,  Lawrence,  Madison,  Washington, 
and  Benton. 

Near  the  junction  of  the  subcarboniferous  limestones  and  the  saccharoi- 
dal  sandstone,  overlying  the  lower  magnesian  limestones,  there  are  encri- 
nital,  mottled,  and  variegated  limestones,  which  take  a  good  polish,  and 
will  make,  at  many  localities,  a  fine  marble  rock,  particularly  near  the  cor- 
ner of  Carroll,  Newton,  and  Searcy  counties. 

The  best  and  thickest  coal,  which  I  have  yet  seen  in  Arkansas,  is  the 
Spadra  coal  of  Johnson  county.  It  is  a  semi-anthracite,  even  richer  in 
fixed  carbon  than  the  celebrated  Zerbe's  run  coal  of  the  Shamokin  coal 
field  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  superior,  for  manufacturing  purposes,  to  any 
western  coal  at  present  known,  where  durability,  intense  heat  and  reduc- 
tion are  required.  Its  thickness  is  three  feet.  It  crops  out  close  to  the 
Arkansas  river  above  the  mouth  of  Spadra  creek,  and  extends  back  into 
the  interior  of  Johnson  county. 

During  the  geological  survey  of  Northern  Arkansas,  I  have  been  strongly 
impressed  with  two  facts  :  one  is  the  vast  extent,  both  vertically  and  super- 
ficially, of  the  millstone  grits  and  the  associate  shales.  There  are  eight 
whole  counties  that  are  already  known  to  be  almost  entirely  occupied"  by 
this  formation  ;  besides  a  large  portion  of  six  other  counties ;  the  other  is 
the  immense  quantity  of  silex,  in  the  shape  of  chert,  buhrstone,  and  chal- 
cedonic  flint,  irregularly  mixed  and  segregated  amongst  the  rocks,  espe- 
cially the  limestones ;  or  diffused  as  quartz,  in  veins,  amongst  the  sand- 
stones. I  have  travelled  for  days  and  weeks  upon  these  siliceous  forma- 
tions, both  amongst  the  rocks  of  subcarboniferous  and  lower  silurian  date. 

It  remains  for  me  to  define  approximately  the  general  boundary  between 
the  millstone  grit  and  the  subcarboniferous  limestones,  since  it  is  north 
and  west  of  that  line  that  the  lead  and  zinc  ores  are  accessible  for  mining, 
within  reasonable  depths,  excepting,  indeed,  those  deposits  in  Pulaski 
county  which  border  on  the  region  of  the  igneous  rocks. 

Commencing  on  White  river,  on  Shield's  bluff,  where  the  old  Cherokee 
boundary  line  strikes  that  stream,  it  runs  nearly  west,  through  the  south- 
ern tier  of  townships  in  Izard  county  ;  thence,  it  preserves  the  same  wes- 
terly course  through  the  northern  tier  of  townships,  in  Van  Buren  county, 
bearing  more  to  the  north-west;  thence  it  meanders  with  the  highest  ranges 
of  the  Boston  mountain,  in  the  southern  part  of  Newton  and  the  central 
part  of  Madison  county,  towards  Fayetteville,  in  Washington  county ; 


138  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

thence  diverging  to  the  south,  it  reaches  the  Indian  boundary  line,  in  the 
south-west  corner  of  that  county. 

Its  southern  limits  cannot  yet  be  defined,  since  this  formation  extends 
south  of  the  Arkansas  river,  beyond  the  range  of  our  present  geological 
reconnoissance. 

All  the  accessible  veins  and  deposits  of  lead,  zinc,  and  manganese  ores, 
at  present  known,  are  situated  to  the  north  of  this  line  ;  they  doubtless 
extend  beneath  a  portion  of  the  area  occupied  by  the  millstone  grit ;  but, 
probably,  are  too  deeply  seated  in  the  midst  of  the  high  mountainous  dis- 
trict, south  of  this  line,  to  be  reached  by  the  miner,  except  near  the  valley 
of  the  Arkansas  river  in  Pulaski  county. 

The  coal  beds  interstratified  amongst  the  beds  of  the  millstone  grit,  are 
too  thin  to  be  worked  profitably  by  drifts. 

Where  the  porous  sandstones  of  the  millstone  grit  form  synclinal  troughs 
under  the  drainage  of  the  country,  there  are  favorable  positions  for  reach- 
ing productive  brines  by  boring.  Several  of  these  saline  troughs  seem  to 
exist,  six  to  twelve  miles  north  of  the  Arkansas  river,  in  Crawford,  Frank- 
lin, Johnson,  and  Conway  counties. 

Large  quantities  of  iron  are  disseminated  amongst  the  beds  of  the  mill- 
stone gritj  when  associated  with  the  sandstones  of  that  formation,  it  is 
generally  too  sandy  to  be  smelted  with  profit  and  advantage ;  but  the  under- 
lying ferruginous  shale  in  many  places  offers  encouragement  for  the  search 
of  the  iron  manufacturer,  as  for  instance,  at  the  Dvvight  Old  Mission,  in 
Pope  county ;  on  War  Eagle,  in  Madison  county;  and  the  centre  of  Wash- 
ington county.  The  bog  iron  ore  of  Pulaski  county,  8  miles  north-east  of 
Little  Rock,  promises  to  be  sufficiently  extensive  to  supply  a  furnace,  ac- 
cording to  the  report  of  the  Assistant  Geologist. 

The  time  allotted  for  working  up  and  reporting  on  the  materials  which 
have  been  collected  during  the  field  work  of  this  and  the  preceding  season, 
has  been  too  short  to  admit  of  the  full  digest,  due  consideration,  and  minute 
analysis  of  all  the  subjects  and  specimens  now  on  record,  and  in  the  office 
of  the  Arkansas  survey ;  we  have,  in  fact,  only  been  able  to  make  a  com- 
mencement towards  a  thorough  investigation  of  even  the  resources  now 
within  our  reach.  If  the  means  are  provided,  we  hope,  hereafter  tobe  able 
to  complete  this  important,  interesting,  and  useful  work,  begun  under  such 
favorable  auspices. 

If  the  survey  is  continued,  it  would  be  desirable  to  put  at  least  three 
corps  in  the  field,  in  order  to  carry  forward  the  work  as  rapidly  as  possi- 
ble. For  that  purpose,  the  geological  appropriation  should  be  equal  to 
that  in  Missouri ;  that  is,  twelve  thousand  dollars  ($12,000)  per  annum. 


OF    ARKANSAS.  139 


With  this  amount,  the  geological  reconnoissance  of  the  rest  of  the  State 
could  be  completed  in  the  next  two  years,  and  considerable  progress  made, 
at  the  same  time,  towards  surveying  the  mineral  districts  in  detail. 

As  one  of  the  great  ulterior  objects  of  the  geological  survey  of  the  State, 
is  the  construction  of  a  geological  map,  in  which  the  areas  of  the  geolo- 
gical formations  can  be  distinctly  laid  down,  and  their  boundaries  accu- 
rately defined,  it  will  become  necessary,  particularly  through  the  country 
bordering  on  the  confines  of  two  geological  formations,  as  well  as  in  the 
mineral  districts,  to  define  the  ridges,  hills,  and  mountain  ranges,  on  sec- 
tional maps,  since  the  limits  of  formations  often  conform  to,  arid  are  inti- 
mately connected  with,  the  relief  and  topography  of  the  country.  The 
law  authorizing  a  geological  survey  of  the  State,  in  detail,  should,  there- 
fore, provide  that  the  geologist  have  access  to  all  sectional,  county,  and 
other  maps,  records  and  profiles  of  railroads  and  other  surveys,  so  as  to 
afford  him  every  facility  in  laying  down  such  topographical  and  geo- 
graphical details,  as.  may  be  necessary  for  the  accurate  exhibition  of  the 
geology  of  the  State.  It  may  become  necessary,  too,  at  the  same  time,  to 
run  a  judicious  system  of  levels  in  connection  with  lines  of  odometer  mea- 
surements over  parts  of  the  country,  in  order  to  define  with  accuracy  the 
elements  of  dip,  the  thickness  of  the  formations  and  their  individual  mem- 
bers, and  to  form  a  basis  of  calculation  for  identifying  equivalent  beds, 
estimating  the  depth  or  height  at  which  any  known  bed  of  coal,  iron  ore, 
or  other  valuable  mineral  deposit,  can  be  found,  when  concealed  Ijy  debris, 
or  carried  by  the  inclination  of  the  strata  beneath  the  water  courses. 

This  can  all  be  done  if  adequate  means  are  furnished,  and  it  is  only  by 
the  adoption  of  such  a  system  of  operations,  that  a  complete  detailed  sur- 
vey of  the  State  can  be  made. 

I  may  add,  in  this  connection,  that,  without  exceeding  the  appropriation 
above  named,  and  with  very  little  additional  expense  over  and  above 
what  must  necessarily  be  expended,  otherwise,  in  the  various  geological 
departments,  a  botanical  survey  of  the  State  could  be  instituted,  if  con- 
sidered advisable,  without  organizing  a  corps  for  that  branch  alone  ;  and 
many  useful  items  could,  in  the  same  way,  be  gathered  in  other  depart- 
ments of  the  natural  history  of  the  State  of  Arkansas. 

The  chemical  department  is  already  well  organized,  so  that,  if  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  survey  be  provided  for,  the  chemical  work  can  be  carried 
forward,  with  despatch,  upon  the  same  plan  as  heretofore  provided  for. 

In  carrying  out  such  an  important  work  as  this,  the  palseontological 
department  must,  of  course,  not  be  neglected;  that  is,  the  collection  of 
the  organic  remains  or  fossils  of  the  different  rocks,  and  the  ultimate 
determination  of  their  generic  and  specific  characters;  in  fact,  without 


140  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

attention  to  this,  the  geologist  would  dispense  with  one  of  his  principal 
aids  in  drawing  important  practical  inferences  and  proofs  corroborative  of 
his  assertions.  This  branch  of  the  survey  might  appear  to  some,  without 
due  reflection,  a  matter  of  little  importance  ;  but  when  we  consider  that 
it  is  the  surest  and  safest  guide  to  the  identification  of  all  the  formations 
of  sedimentary  origin,  and  even  of  the  individual  members  of  such  for- 
mations, as  for  instance,  the  beds  of  coal,  we  discover  that  it  is  the  index, 
the  criterion,  the  sign,  the  "  divining  rod,"  if  I  may  so  express  it,  which  is 
to  lead  the  geologist  in  his  search  after  mineral  wealth. 

I  cannot  present  the  practical  importance,  as  well  as  the  interest  con- 
nected with  the  study  of  these  relics  of  bygone  ages,  in  a  stronger  light 
than  by  inserting  here  an  extract  from  my  report  of  the  surveys  made  in 
behalf  of  the  United  States,  some  years  since,  in  the  North-west. 

"  The  study  of  the  organic  remains  of  rocks  is,  indeed,  a  most  beautiful,  a 
most  fascinating  research.  "What  can  be  more  extraordinary:  that  we, 
the  generation  of  the  nineteenth  century,  should  exhume  from  out  the 
hard  substance  of  the  solid  rocks,  the  delicate  forms  of  organic  beings  of 
bygone  ages,  and  display  to  the  wondering  eye  of  the  naturalist,  even 
their  minute  anatomical  details  ?  And  this,  not  alone  of  races  which 
inhabited  this  earth  in  times  immediately  preceding  the  human  epoch ;  we 
are  even  permitted  to  contemplate,  and  restore  to  our  perceptions,  the 
very  fishes,  mollusks,  and  corals,  that  swarmed  in  the  carboniferous  seas 
millions  of  ages  ago.  The  animal  matter  composing  their  tissues  and 
bones  is  indeed  gone,  but  the  simultaneous  mineral  infiltrations  preserve 
a  perfect  counterpart.  We  can  depict  those  remarkable  and  elegant  forms 
of  vegetation  which  constituted  the  forests,  that  fringed  the  shores  of  that 
same  treacherous  and  overwhelming  ocean.  We  seize  them  in  the  very 
act  of  uncoiling  their  frond,  and  unfold  to  the  admiring  gaze  of  the 
botanist,  that  luxuriant  canopy  of  foliage  that  once  waved  in  the  sea- 
breeze  nurturing  their  stems.  We  accomplish  even  more  than  this  :  we 
can  read  the  records  of  myriads  of  the  lower  orders  of  animals,  that  date 
their  existence  yet  further  back  than  the  times  that  gave  growth  to  trees, 
now  stored  up  as  mineral  fuel  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth — to  times  at  least 
as  long  prior  to  the  coal  formation,  as  that  geological  era  is  antecedent  to 
the  present  time ;  we  can  assign  to  each  its  place  in  the  zoological  systems, 
and  fill  up  the  gaps  in  the  existing  orders  of  the  animal  and  vegetable 
kingdoms. 

"  To  think  that  we,  at  this  day,  can  demonstrate  the  structure  of  the  eye 
of  some  of  these — the  most  ancient  races — and  even  count  the  lenses  by 
which  light  was  concentrated  to  the  optic  nerve,  is  truly  astonishing !  Is 


OF    ARKANSAS.  141 


it  then  surprising  that  it  should  engage  the  attention  of  the  closet  philoso- 
pher, and  awaken  the  enthusiasm  of  the  enterprising  explorer  ? 

"But palaeontology  is  not  a  study  of  mere  curious,  scientific  inquiry ;  ithas* 
also  its  practical  inferences,  and  these  of  the  most  important  character, 
with  their  direct  matter-of-fact  bearings.  In  illustration  of  this  view  of 
the  subject,  permit  me,  in  this  connection,  to  direct  the  attention  of  the 
reader  to  Figs.  1,  5,  and  6,  of  Table  IV.*  The  fossil  corals  represented 
in  these  engravings,  are  found  imbedded  in  the  subcarboniferous  lime- 
stones, and  near  the  top  of  the  series ;  always  under  the  true  productive 
coal-bearing  beds ;  never  above  these,  or  included  in  them ;  and  nowhere 
else.  This  geological  fact  holds  good,  not  only  in  Iowa,  but  through  the 
entire  range  of  the  subcarboniferous  limestones  in  Indiana,  Illinois,  Ken- 
tucky, and  Tennessee.  In  not  a  single  instance,  from  the  range  of  the 
Cumberland  mountains,  on  the  east,  to  the  interior  of  Iowa,  on  the  west, 
has  a  workable  bed  of  coal  been  discovered  in  a  position  beneath  the 
strata  of  limestone  containing  these  corals.  In  these  organic  remains, 
then,  we  find  the  surest,  the  most  unerring  guide  in  the  search  after  this 
valuable  article  of  commerce,  that  warms  our  houses,  that  drives  our 
steam  engines,  by  which  we  navigate  our  rivers,  lakes,  and  oceans ;  that 
propels  the  machinery  by  which  we  weave  our  fabrics ;  that  reduces  our 
iron,  by  which  we  cultivate  our  soil,  and  carry  on  every  conceivable 
mechanical  operation ;  that  refines  our  metals,  that  contributes  to  the  pro- 
duction of  both  the  necessaries  and  luxuries  of  life,  and  by  which  we 
transmit  intelligence  with  the  swiftness  of  lightning,  to  stations  the  most 
remote.  Without  the  knowledge  of  this  fact,  millions  of  dollars  might  be 
expended — have  been  expended — in  fruitless  and  hopeless  mining  opera- 
tions after  geological  incompatibilities. 

"  All  the  figures  on  Table  V,  A  and  B,*  are  equally  persistent  in  their 
undeviating  geological  position,  quite  below  the  productive  coal  measures, 
as  well  as  beneath  these  same  coral-bearing  beds. 

"  In  stratigraphical  palaeontology  we  have,  then,  the  safest  and  the  most 
trustworthy  index  to  direct  our  explorations  after  mineral  treasures  in  the 
fossiliferous  strata." 

*  See  Geological  Report  of  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota,  1852. 


CHEMICAL  REPORT 


OF   THE 


ORES,  ROCKS,  AND  MINERAL  WATERS 


OF 


AJRK.AJS'S.A.S, 


BY 


WILLIAM  ELDERHORST,  M.D., 

CHEMICAL     ASSISTANT     TO     THE     GEOLOGICAL     SURVEY. 


INTRODUCTORY   LETTER. 


CHEMICAL  LABORATORY  OF  THE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY, 

New  Harmony,  Indiana,  September,  1858.J 

DR.  DAVID  DALE  OWEN, 

State  Geologist  of  Arkansas: 

SIR — In  conformity  with  your  instructions,  I  herewith  transmit  to  you 
the  Chemical  Report  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Arkansas,  containing 
the  chemical  analyses  of  such  ores,  rocks,  etc.,  as  you  deemed  most  impor- 
tant for  incorporation  into  this  volume. 

The  analyses  have  all  been  performed  in  the  chemical  laboratory  of  the 
survey,  with  the  exception  of  the  qualitative  examinations  of  the  natural 
waters,  which  were  executed  in  the  field.  Among  the  valuable  mineral 
productions,  in  which  the  northern  counties  of  Arkansas  abound,  special 
attention  has  been  paid  to  the  ores  of  zinc.  Specimens  of  the  ores  from 
all  the  principal  localities  which  were  visited  by  us  in  the  first  field  excur- 
sion in  the  fall  of  1857,  have  been  subjected  to  analysis,  and  I  should  not 
neglect  to  state,  that  I  have  endeavored,  by  a  careful  selection  of  average 
specimens,  to  give  to  those,  more  directly  interested  in  those  mines,  a 
correct  idea  of  the  average,  value  of  these  ores.  I  am  happy  to  say,  that 
the  results  of  my  examinations  even  surpass  the  favorable  opinion  which  I 
formed  of  their  value  in  the  field;  and  there  remains  no  doubt,  in  my 
opinion,  that  with  judicious  management,  the  working  of  these  mines 
and  smelting  of  the  ores,  extracted  therefrom,  will  prove  not  only  very 
remunerative  to  the  enterprising  miner  and  smelter,  but  highly  beneficial 
to  that  portion  of  the  state  in  which  these  mines  are  situated.  Much, 
however,  remains  yet  to  be  done  with  regard  to  the  development  of  the 
mineral  riches  of  these  counties:  analyses  ought  to  be  made  of  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  ore  taken  from  the  old  mines,  as  well  as  of  specimens  from 
the  newly  discovered  mines*;  all  the  rocks  associated  with  the  ores,  ought 

*Mr.  E.  T.  Cox  collected  specimens  of  ore  from  new  localities  during  the  field- excursion  in 
the  spring  of  1858,  but  from  some  unaccountable  reason,  the  boxes  containing  them,  have  not  yet 
arrived. 

10  ^ 


146  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

to  be  carefully  examined  (the  analyses  of  a  few  of  them  you  will  find 
detailed  on  p.  176,  etc.),  in  order  to  establish  a  rational  connexion  between 
the  general  geological  features  of  the  country  and  the  mineral  deposits, 
and  to  discover,  if  possible,  the  hidden  cause  which  occasioned  the  for- 
mation of  such  extensive  deposits,  and  exercised  so  powerful  a  pseudo- 
morphic  action  as  is  evidenced  in  that  part  of  the  state. 

I  beg  leave  to  call  your  attention,  in  the  next  place,  to  the  analyses  of 
the  ores  of  manganese.  You  will  perceive,  by  a  glance  at  the  table  on 
p.  1G6,  that  the  analytical  results  here  are  also  very  favorable;  the  ores 
are  valuable  to  the  bleacher,  the  paper  and  the  glass  manufacturer,  and 
I  confidently  believe,  that  by  pursuing  a  rational  system  of  mining,  and 
examining  carefully  the  neighborhood  of  the  veins  on  Lafferty  creek,  an 
ore  still  more  valuable,  the  "pyrolusite"  of  the  mineralogists  will  be  dis- 
covered, an  opinion  based  on  the  observation:  that  the  last  mentioned 
mineral  almost  invariably  occurs  associated  with  psilomelane  and  brau- 
nite,  the  minerals  already  found.  I  have  endeavored,  on  p.  167,  etc.,  to 
establish  rational  formulas  for  the  composition  of  these  ores,  in  the  expec- 
tation of  throwing  some  light  on  the  mutual  chemical  relation  which  the 
various,  so  closely  connected  minerals,  bear  towards  each  other;  I  hope 
that  the  continuance  of  the  survey  may  enable  me,  by  an  additional  series  of 
analyses,  to  draw  some  general  conclusions  as  to  their  formation,  mutual 
relation,  and  probable  origin. 

As  to  the  remaining  portion  of  my  Report,  no  further  remarks  appear 
necessary:  the  analyses  speak  for  themselves. 

The  reasons  which  prompted  me  to  append  a  chapter  on  the  "  methods 
of  analysis,"  I  have  given  below. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 

WILLIAM  ELDERHORST, 

Chemical  Assistant. 


ORES  OF  ZINC. 


The  ores  from  two  counties  only  have  as  yet  been  subjected  to  analy- 
sis, \iz:  those  from  Lawrence  county  and  Marion  county;  [one  from  Inde- 
pendence county,  see  "  Appendix."] 

A-— ORES  OF  ZINC  FROM  LAWRENCE  COUNTY. 

Ores,  containing  zinc,  especially  in  the  shape  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  have 
been  found  at  numerous  localities  in  this  county.  The  richest  diggings 
are  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  Calamine,  and  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  the 
deepest  excavations  had  been  made  at  the  localities,  designated,  respec- 
tively, as  the  Hoppe  mine,  Bath  mine,  and  Koch  mine.  Specimens  of  the 
ore  taken  from  these  three  mines,  were  subjected  to  analysis.  The  ore 
occurs  in  cavities  (pockets  and  veins)  in  dolomite,  and  in  most  cases,  is 
found  imbedded  in  a  stiff,  red,  feruginous  clay.  Both,  the  dolomite  and 
ue  clay,  contain  small  quantities  of  zinc,  (compare  analyses  Nos.  32,  34 
and  35.)  In  some  cases,  however,  the  ore  is  closely  connected  with  the 
dolomite,  either  adhering  to  its  surface,  or  filling  small  cavities  in  the 
rock,  or  traversing  the  dolomite  in  small  veins,  rarely  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  in  diameter. 

A. — Ore  from  the  Hoppe  mine. 

By  far  the  greater  quantity  of  the  ore  found  at  this  mine,  is  a  massive, 
amorphous,  hydrous  carbonate  of  zinc,  of  pale  grayish-yellow  color; 
soft;  breaks  easily;  powder  o4f  a  pale  cream  color;  small  pieces  dissolve 
readily  in  dilute  hydrochloric -acid,  with  effervescence.  The  composition 
of  this  mineral  is  given  below,  No,..  1;  the  analysis  may  be  considered  to 


148  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCK 

represent  the  composition  of  a  fair  average-specimen  of  the  whole  of  the 
ore  brought  out  from  this  mine.  The  ore  No.  1,  contains,  occasionally, 
cavities  in  which  small  yellow  crystals  of  blende  (sulphuret  of  zinc)  are 
found. 

Although  of  comparatively  rare  occurrence  at  this  locality,  large 
crystals  of  blende  are  occasionally  met  with,  sometimes  imbedded  in  dolo- 
mite and  surrounded  by  masses  of  flesh-colored,  crystallized  smithsonite, 
(carbonate  of  zinc),  and  pearlspar.  Crystals  of  smithsonite  are  abundant; 
they  are  either  found  in  the  small  veins  traversing  the  dolomite  (No.  32), 
or  forming  the  outer  layer  of  irregular  masses  of  ore,  imbedded  in  red 
clay;  the  crystals  are  of  pale  yellow,  pale  red,  or  flesh-color,  rough  on  the 
exterior,  frequently  possessing  curved  faces.  A  few  hand-specimens  pre- 
sented the  appearance  of  a  brecciated  rock;  here,  angular  fragments  of  a 
light  reddish-gray,  very  close-textured  dolomite  (?)  of  splintery  fracture, 
were  imbedded  in  a  matrix  of  greenish-gray,  coarser  grained  dolomite, 
intermixed  with  flesh-colored  crystals  of  smithsonite. 

The  great  mass  of  the  ore  occurs  imbedded  in  red,  feruginous  clay,  in 
more  or  less  rounded,  irregular  pieces.  These  pieces  frequently  consist 
of  three  distinct  layers:  the  outer  one  is  formed  of  well-developed  crys- 
tals of  pure  smithsonite;  then  follows  a  layer  of  amorphous  smithsonite, 
possessing  the  physical  properties  of  the  above  described  ore,  No.  1,  which 
passes  gradually  into  a  very  soft  amorphous  mass  of  the  composition 
given  in  No.  2,  and  which  is  nothing  but  the  same  mineral  constituting 
the  second  layer,  intermixed  with  some  clay  and  other  impurities.  Its 
color  is  from  cream-color  to  brownish-yellow;  it  is  easily  scraped  with  a 
knife,  yielding  a  cream-colored  powder. 

No.  1.  Massive,  amorphous,  carbonate  of  zinc. 
Composition  dried  at  230  deg.  F: 

Clay,  and  silicia 18.805 

Carbonate  of  zinc 75.474 

«           «   lime 0.364 

"           "   magnesia trace 

Peroxide  of  iron,  and  alumina 1.771 

Water,  and  loss •  •  •  •  3.586 

100.000 

The  air-dried  ore  lost  0.69  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  230  deg.  F. 
The  carbonic  acid  in  the  carbonates  of  zinc  and  lime  amounts  to  26.685 
per  cent.;  a  separate  experiment,  on  treating  the  pulverized  mineral  with 
hydrochloric  acid  in  a  carbonic  acid  apparatus,  gave   26.881    per  cent. 
Some  of  the  iron  was  probably  in  the  state  of  proto-carbonate. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


75.474  per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  are  equal  to  48.95  per  cent,  of 
oxide  of  zinc,  or  to  39.30  per  cent,  of  metallic  zinc. 

No.  2.  Same  as  No.  1,  impure. 
Composition,  dried  at  230  deg.  F: 

Clay,  and  silica .  .      31 .069 

Carbonate  of  zinc 51.111 

"  "    lime 8.1 14 

"  "    magnesia 4.417 

Peroxide  of  iron,  with  traces  of  alumina  and 

manganese 4.800 


99.191 

The  air-dried  mineral  lost  1.29  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  230  deg.  F. 
51.111   per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  zinc  are  equal  to  33.149  per  cent,  of 
oxide  of  zinc,  or  to  26.60  per  cent,  of  metallic  zinc. 

B. —  Ore  from  the  Bath  mine. 

The  prevailing  ore  at  this  locality  is  a  massive,  brownish-yellow,  cellular 
smithsonite;  the  cavities  are  clad  out  with  botryoidal  incrustations  of 
grayish- white  smithsonite,  and  occasional  buff-colored  crystals  of  the  same 
mineral.  The  surface  of  the  ore  is  covered  with  a  thin  crust  of  yellowish- 
red  clay.  Several  pieces  of  the  ore  were  crushed,  well  mixed,  and  from 
the  mixture  two  samples  taken  for  analysis,  (No.  3  and  No.  4). 

At  this  mine  occurs  also  the  light-colored,  soft  variety  of  carbonate  of 
zinc,  partly  amorphous,  partly  sub-crystalline,  pieces  of  about  a  cubic 
inch  of  which  are  cemented  together  by  the  dark  brownish-gray  or 
brownish-yellow  cellular  smithsonite  above  described;  the  dark-gray  cel- 
lular masses  often  consist  of  concentric  layers,  the  outer  layers  being  gen- 
erally of  a  much  lighter  color,  and  contain  occasionally  crystals  of  brown 
blende. 

The  dolomite  containing  the  ore  at  this  locality,  abounds  with  small 
veins  of  pearlspar,  and  with  amygdaloidal  cavities,  sometimes  an  inch 
wide  and  two  and  a  half  inches  long,  which  are  filled  with  crystals  of 
pearlspar  and  blende. 

No.  3.  Brownish-yellow,  cellular,  smithsonite. 
Composition,  dried  at  250  deg.  F: 

Clay,  and  silica 8.831 

Carbonate  of  zinc   86.490 

"           "    lime 0.742 

"           "   magnesia trace 


150  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

Alumina,  sesquioxides  of  iron  and  manganese,  4.389 

Oxide  of  lead trace 

"       "    copper trace 


100.452 

The  air-dried  ore  lost  0.50  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  250  deg.  F. 
86.49  per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  zinc  are   equal  to  56.099  per  cent,  of 
oxide  of  zinc,  or  to  45.045  per  cent,  of  metallic  zinc. 

No.  4.  Same  as  No.  3;  different  specimen. 

The  analysis  of  this  sample  was  executed  by  igniting  the  ore,  and 
extracting  the  oxide  of  zinc  with  a  mixture  of  ammonia  and  carbonate  of 
ammonia,  (compare  "  methods  of  analysis,"  below.) 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Carbonic  acid  and  water 32.150 

Silica,  clay,  iron,  lime,  etc 14.519 

Oxide  of  zinc 53.331 


100.000 

53.331  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  zinc  are  equal  to  42.822  per  cent,  of  me- 
tallic zinc. 

The  residue,  left  after  the  treatment  with  ammonia,  etc.,  and  which 
consists  essentially  of  clay,  was  found,  on  examination,  to  contain  some 
oxide  of  zinc,  showing  that  a  small  portion  of  this  oxide  must  exist  in  the 
ore  in  combination  with  silica,  forming  silicate  of  zinc,  a  compound 
insoluble  in  ammonia.  On  comparing  analysis  No.  4  with  No.  3,  it 
appears  that  about  3  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  zinc  are  combined  with  silica. 

C. — Ore  from  the  Koch  mine. 

The  principal  ore  from  this  mine  is  a  cellular,  subcrystalline  mass  of 
brownish- white  and  grayish-white  color;  within  the  cavities,  the  surface  of 
the  smithsonite  is  botryoidal  and  usually  covered  with  a  very  thin  layer  of 
red  clay;  this  mineral  is  intimately  associated  and  intermixed  with  an 
amorphous,  grayish-yellow,  massive  variety  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  resem- 
bling ore  No.  1,  from  the  Hoppe  mine.  Its  powder  has  a  pale  cream 
color. 

Three  different  specimens  of  this  ore  were  analyzed;  of  the  first  speci- 
men a  complete  analysis  was  made,  showing  the  total  amount  of  oxide  of 
zinc  present,  and  the  quantitative  relation  of  the  impurities.  The  other 
two  specimens  were  analyzed  after  the  method  employed  for  No.  4,  show- 
ing only  the  amount  of  oxide  of  zinc  that  is  contained  in  the  ore  in  the 
state  of  carbonate  or  hydrate. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


No.  5.   Brownish- white,  cellular  smithsonite. 

Composition,  dried  at  250  deg.  F: 

Silica 0.501 

Oxide  of  zinc 61 .753 

Peroxide  of  iron 0.552 

Alumina 0.097 

Lime 1 .338 

Magnesia trace. 

Carbonic  acid,  water,  and  loss 35.759 


100.000 

The  air-dried  ore  lost  0.14  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  250  deg.  F. 
61.753  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  zinc  are  equal  to  49.59  per  cent  of  metallic 
zinc. 

No.  6.  Same  as  No.  5;  different  specimen. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Carbonic  acid  and  water 35.91 1 

Insoluble  residue  (silica,  iron,  lime,  etc.,)-  •  •  •         6.839 
Oxide  of  zinc 57.250 


100.000 

No.  7.  Same  as  No.  5;  different  specimen. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Carbonic  acid  and  water 35.267 

Insoluble  residue  (silica,  iron,  lime,  etc,,)-  •  •  •  8.298 

Oxide  of  zinc 56.445 


100.000 

The  mean  of  analyses  Nos.  6  and  7,  shows  56.847  per  cent,  of  oxide 
of  zinc,  combined  with  carbonic  acid  or  water,  which  is  equal  to  45.65  per 
cent,  of  metallic  zinc.  In  both  cases,  the  residue  from  the  treatment  with 
ammonia,  was  found  to  contain  zinc,  whence  the  presence  of  a  small 
quantity  of  silicate  of  zinc  may  be  inferred. 

B.— ORES  OF  ZINC  FROM  MARION  COUNTY. 

In  this  county,  the  only  locality  from  which  specimens  of  ores  of  zinc 
were  obtained,  is  known  as  "  Wood's  mine,"  situated,  section  13,  township 
19  north,  range  17  west,  on  the  west  branch  of  George  creek.  The  ore 
occurs  here,  as  in  Lawrence  county,  in  pockets  or  veins  in  dolomite  (the 
analysis  of  which  is  given  in  No.  34,)  and  is  in  most  cases  found  imbedded 


152  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

in  ferruginous  clay.  The  most  valuable  ore  is  a  compact,  cellular,  sub- 
crystalline  smithsonite,  of  brownish-white  and  grayish- white  color,  surface 
botryoidal,  resembling,  in  its  general  appearance,  the  principal  ore  from 
the  Koch  mine,  (analysis  No.  5);  the  cavities  are  partially  filled  with  clay. 
The  subjoined  analysis,  No.  8,  represents  the  composition  of  this  ore. 
The  sample  has  been  carefully  selected,  so  as  to  approach  as  near  as 
possible  to  the  composition  of  a  fair  average-specimen. 

Well  developed  crystals  of  smithsonite,  abundant  in  the  mines  of  Law- 
rence county,  appear  to  be  entirely  wanting,  as  are  also  the  thin  veins  of 
pearlspar,  traversing  the  dolomite.  In  their  stead,  the  dolomite  is  frequently 
found  incrusted  with  a  compact  mass  of  a  pale  brownish- white,  or 
greenish-white  carbonate  of  zinc,  with  botryoidal  surface,  consisting  of  a 
succession  of  concentric  layers,  the  whole  deposit  having  sometimes  a 
thickness  of  upwards  of  half  an  inch.  Its  hardness  is  between  4  and  5; 
streak  white;  translucent;  brittle;  fracture  splintery;  heated  in  a  glass-tube, 
closed  at  one  end,  gives  no  water,  but  turns  opaque  and  yellow,  after 
cooling  opaque  and  white;  on  charcoal  before  the  blowpipe,  gives  the 
reactions  of  oxide  of  zinc.  Its  composition  is  given  in  No.  9.  Interven- 
ing between  this  mineral  and  the  dolomite,  a  thin  layer  of  crystallized 
quartz,  of  brownish  color,  is  frequently  met  with;  the  quartz  in  the  sub- 
joined analysis  (No.  9),  is  probably  derived  from  an  intermixture  of  this 
layer  with  the  carbonate  of  zinc. 

No.  8.  Brownish- white,  cellular,  smithsonite. 

Composition,  dried  at  212  deg.  F: 

Clay,  sand,  and  silica 7.523 

Oxide  of  zinc 59.770 

Peroxide  of  iron,  with  trace  of  manganese-  •  3.507 

Oxide  of  cadmium 0.486 

"        "  lead 0.066 

"        "  copper trace 

Lime 0.466 

Magnesia * trace 

Carbonic  acid,  water,  and  loss 28.182 


100.000 

The  air-dried  ore  lost  1.84  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  212  deg.  F. 
59.77  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  zinc  are  equal  to  47.97  per  cent,  of  metallic 
zinc. 

The  iron  has  been  represented  as  peroxide,  because  the  greater  part  of 


OF  ARKANSAS.  153 


it  has  certainly  been  derived  from  the  red  clay,  ffting  the  cavities  of  the 
ore. 

No.  9.  Compact  smithsonite,  incrusting  dolomite. 

Composition,  dried  at  212  deg.  F: 

Quartz 1 .512 

Oxide  of  zinc 65.967 

"     iron trace 

Lime  1.067 

Magnesia trace 

Carbonic  acid,  and  loss 31.454 


100.000 

The  air-dried  mineral  lost  0.116  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  212  deg.  F. 
From  the  high  per  centage  of  oxide  of  zinc  in  this  mineral,  it  would 
appear  to  be   a  basic  carbonate  of  zinc,  but  as  no  direct  carbonic    acid 
determination  was  made,  it  is  not,  at  present,  possible  to  construct  a  for- 
mula for  its  composition. 

Rounded  pieces  of  dark-gray,  subcrystalline  dolomite  appear,  sometimes, 
as  if  cemented  by  carbonate  of  zinc,  which  surrounds  the  fragments  in 
concentric,  incrusting  layers.  The  carbonate  of  zinc  is  of  grayish,  brown- 
ish, or  reddish  color;  between  its  layers,  but  mostly  between  the  dolomite 
and  the  carbonate  of  zinc,  a  white  mineral  is  occasionally  observed,  whose 
properties  and  composition  are  given  in  No.  10. 

No.  10.  MARIONITE,  a  new  hydrous  carbonate  of  zinc. 

Occurs  in  concentric  and  contorted  laminae,  also,  in  botryoidal  and  mam- 
milated  incrustations;  amorphous;  earthy;  color  milk-white;  hardness  2.5; 
easily  reduced  to  powder;  powder  milk-white. 

Dissolves  readily,  and  completely,  in  cold  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  with 
effervescence;  also,  when  pulverized,  in  ammonia;  in  both  solutions,  sul- 
phydrate  of  ammonia  produces  a  white  precipitate.  Heated  in  a  matrass, 
yields  water  and  turns  yellow;  heated  before  the  blowpipe  with  a  solution 
of  nitrate  of  cobalt,  assumes  a  bright  green  color;  on  charcoal,  behaves  like 
oxide  of  zinc. 

On  being  ignited  in  a  platina  capsule,  the  mineral  lost  26.818  per  cent; 
the  residue,  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid,  and  the  solution  precipitated 
with  carbonate  of  soda,  gave  73.262  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  zinc. 

Carbonic  acid  and  water 26.818 

Oxide  of  zinc 73.262 

100.080 


154  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

The  water  was  determined  by  heating  the  mineral  in  a  small  glass 
retort,  the  neck  of  which  was  connected  with  a  chloride  of  calcium  tube. 
The  experiment  gave  11.808  per  cent,  of  water;  this  deducted  from  the 
total  loss  by  ignition  gives  the  carbonic  acid;  hence,  the  composition  is: 

Oxide  of  zinc 73.262 

Water 11 .808 

Carbonic   acid 15.010 


100.080 

The  only  mineral  known  consisting  of  oxide  of  zinc,  carbonic  acid, 
and  water,  is  Smithson's  "  zinc-bloom,"  for  which  the  formula 
3  ZnO.CO2-j-3  HO  has  been  constructed.  This  formula  requires:  * 

Found  by  Smithson. 

Oxide  of  zinc 71.28  69.38 

Carbonic  acid 12.89  13.50 

Water    15.83  15.10 


100.00  97.98 

Von  Kobell  §  constructed  for  this  mineral  the  formula 
3  [2  ZnO.CO2]-|-2  [ZnO.SHO],  which  does  not  agree  with  Smithson's 
analysis,  and  which,  therefore,  cannot  be  considered  as  expressing  the 
composition  of  zinc-bloom.  But  Von  KobelPs  formula  agrees  very  well 
with  the  analytical  results  obtained  by  me  for  the  above-described  mineral, 
which  has  to  be  considered  a  new  species,  or  at  least  a  new  variety  of 
zinc-bloom,  and  for  which  I  propose  the  name  of  "  Marionitc"  f 

In  100  Found 

8  Zn  O  324.24  72.99  73.262 

3  CO2  66.00  14.86  15.010 

6  HO  54.00  12.15  11.808 


444.24  100.00  100.080 

Blende  (sulphuret  of  zinc),  occurs  abundantly  at  Wood's  mine.  It  is 
mostly  of  dark  brown  color,  and  large  crystals  are  frequently  found 
cemented  by  irregular  masses  of  impure  smithsonite.  In  some  specimens 
the  blende  presents  a  cellular  appearance,  as  if  acted  upon  by  a  dissolv- 
ing liquid;  the  cavities  are  generally  coated  with  a  layer  of  minutely  crys- 
talline carbonate  of  zinc,  of  gray  or  reddish  color. 

*  v.  Dana's  mineralogy,  4th  ed.  p.  460. 
§  v.  Rammelsberg'8  Handworterbuch,  etc.,  vol.  2,  p.  295. 
Want  of  material  prevented  a  repetition  of  the  analysis. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  ]  55 


The  blende  is  very  pure,  though  occasionally  small  particles  of  iron 
pyrites  and  copper  pyrites  are  visible.  Fragments  of  a  large  crystal,  of 
brownish-yellow  color,  were  found,  on  examination,  to  be  pure  sulphuret 
of  zinc,  with  only  0.47  per  cent,  of  sulphuret  of  cadmium,  and  a  trace  of 
copper.  The  qualitative  examination  of  another  specimen  showed  the 
presence  of  a  small  amount  of  cadmium,  with  traces  of  copper  and  iron. 


The  subjoined  table  will  furnish  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  composi- 
tion of  the  ores  from  the  various  localities;  the  numbers  in  the  column 
"carbonic  acid  and  water,"  have  mostly  been  obtained  by  subtracting  from 
100  the  sum  of  the  directly  determined  constituents.  Thinking  it  a  mat- 
ter of  some  interest,  to  compare  the  ores  of  Arkansas  with  those  of  other 
countries,  I  have  added  a  few  analyses  of  the  ores  of  Upper  Silesia,  where 
about  one-half  of  all  the  manufactured  zinc  is  produced,  and  some  other 
localities,  and  it  will  be  seen,  on  comparison,  that  the  Arkansas  ores  are 
inferior  to  none,  and  superior  even  to  the  famous  Silesian  ores. 

1  to  9  correspond  to  Nos.  1  to  9  of  the  Report;  10,  analysis  of  a 
white  compact  smithsonite  from  the  "  Planet-Grube,"  near  Tarnowitz, 
Upper  Silesia;  11,  analysis  of  a  compact  smithsonite  from  the  "Marie 
Grube,"  near  Miechowitz,  Upper  Silesia;  12,  analysis  of  a  red  compact 
smithsonite  from  same  locality;  13,  analysis  of  a  white  compact  smith- 
sonite from  the  "  Scharley-Grube,"  near  Beuthen,  Upper  Silesia;  14,  ana- 
lysis of  a  red  compact  smithsonite  from  Polonia;  15,  analysis  of  a  compact, 
brownish,  smithsonite  from  the  "  Busbacher  Berg,"  near  Aachen,  Prussia; 
16,  17,  and  18,  crystallized  smithsonites  from  Altenberg,  near  Aachen;  19 
and  20,  crystallized,  green  smithsonite  from  the  "  Herrenberg,"  near 
Aachen;  21,  crystallized  smithsonite  from  Moresnet,  Belgium.  10  to  14 
have  been  analyzed  by  G.  Von  Gellhorn,  \Chcm.  pharm.  Centralblatt, 
1853];  15  to  20  by  Monheim,  \_Chem.  pharm.  CentralUatt,  1850,  and  Dana, 
system  of  mineralogy,  4th  ed.~\;  21,  by  Schmidt,  [Rammelsberg,  5th  supple- 
ment.] 


156 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


1 

Oxide  of 
zinc. 

48  •  950 

Carbonic 
acid  and 
water. 

30-271 

Silica  and 
insoluble 
silicates. 

18-805 

Peroxide               Alumina, 

of  iron.               llme'  m?§- 
nesia,  etc. 

1-974 

2 

33-149 

23-612 

31-069 

11-361 

3 
4 
5 
6 

56-099 
53-331 
61-753 
57-250 

30-717 
32-150 
35-759 
35-911 

8-831 

4-805 

-j 

0-501 

NT 
14-519 

1-987 

6-839 

7 

56-445 

39  -  267 

8-298 

8 

59-770 

28-182 

7-523 

3-507                1-018 

9 
10 

65  -  967 

49-77 

31-451 
31-22 

1-512 

trace                1  •  067 

20-48 

11 

27-02 

26-63 

16-58 

10-86                19-79 

12 

39-15 

30-36 

0-35 

17-40                12-74 

13 
14 

42-12 

48-07 

30-35 
33-49 

8-42 

1-49                 17-60 
j 

18-03 

15 
16 

60-97 
39-11 

10-32 

18-79 

9-52                   1-67 

62-00 

17 

36-22 

62-28 

18 

55-04 

44-54 

19 

55-59 

45-56 

20 

48-23 

50-69 

21 

63-06 

35-06 

1-58 

0-34 

The  smelting  of  zinc  from  these  ores,  although  not  quite  as  simple  a 
process  as  the  smelting  of  lead  from  galena,  offers  no  difficulties:  the  ore, 
reduced  to  a  proper  size,  is  simply  mixed  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  coal, 
and  heated,  in  a  closed  vessel,  to  a  temperature  high  enough  to  cause  the 
reduction  of  the  oxide;  the  metal,  being  volatile,  distills  over  and  is  col- 
lected in  a  receiver.  The  execution  of  the  process  varies  somewhat  in 
practice;  at  present,  three  methods  are  principally  in  use,  known  as  the 
English,  the  Belgian,  and  the  Silesian  method,  each  possessed  of  its  pecu- 
liar advantages  and  disadvantages. 

The  only  preliminary  operation  which  the  ores  are  subjected  to,  besides 
the  necessary  sorting  and  bruising,  is  the  calcination,  (and  even  this  opera- 
tion is  sometimes  omitted  in  England).  The  calcination  is  generally  per- 
formed in  reverberatory  furnaces,  and  has  the  object  of  removing  carbonic 
acid  and  wrater,  and  lessening  the  cohesion  of  the  ore;  it  is  a  necessary 
operation  if  the  carbonate  of  zinc  contains  blende,  to  convert  the  latter 
into  oxide  of  zinc;  in  this  case,  a  small  proportion  of  coal  must  be  added. 


OF    ARKANSAS. 


Where  fuel  is  cheap,  the  calcination  is  advantageously  performed  in  heaps. 
The  heaps  are  formed  by  alternate  layers  of  wood  and  carbonate  of  zinc; 
fire  is  set  to  the  lowest  layer  of  wood,  and  the  ore  left  to  the  influence  of 
heat  and  air;  by  this  means  the  water  is  removed,  but  not  the  carbonic 
acid,  and  the  state  of  cohesion  lessened. 

In  the  ENGLISH  PROCESS,  the  calcined  ore  is  mixed  with  about  one-seventh 
of  its  weight  of  coal,  and  filled  into  large  crucibles  or  pots.  These  pots 
are  made  of  fire-clay,  and  cement  of  old  pounds  finely  ground;  they  are 
covered  with  a  lid,  through  an  orifice  of  which  the  charge  is  introduced, 
and  are  provided,  at  the  bottom,  with  an  aperture;  to  this  aperture  a  long 
sheet  iron  pipe  is  joined,  which  dips,  at  its  end,  into  a  vessel  filled  with 
water.  On  heat  being  applied,  the  oxide  of  zinc  becomes  reduced,  the 
metal  is  vaporized,  passes  through  the  iron  pipe,  and  collects  in  drops  in 
the  water  vessel.  From  6  to  8  pots  are  placed  in  a  furnace;  a  furnace 
will  work  up  from  6  to  10  tons  of  ore  in  14  days,  consuming  from  22  to  24 
tons  of  coal,  and  yielding  2  tons  of  zinc,  on  an  average.  A  pot  lasts 
about  four  months. 

In  the  BELGIAN  PROCESS,  the  reduction  furnace  is  filled  with  long,  hori- 
zontal earthen  tubes,  from  3  to  4  feet  long,  and  from  4  to  5  inches  in 
diameter;  22  tubes  in  each  furnace;  the  tubes  are  filled  with  a  mixture  of 
ground  ore  and  coal,  (1  volume  of  ore  to  £  to  $•  volumes  of  coke  or  char- 
coal, broken  to  pieces  the  size  of  nuts);  to  each  tube  a  conical  piece  of 
cast-iron  is  attached,  in  a  slightly  slanting  position;  these  conical  pipes 
serve  as  receivers  and  condensers  of  the  vaporized  zinc,  and  are  raked 
out  every  two  hours.  Each  earthen  tube  holds  40  ft>s  of  the  mixture  of 
ore  and  coal;  the  distillation  is  completed  in  12  hours,  and  each  furnace 
yields  every  12  hours,  100  ft>s.  of  crude  zinc;  on  being  remelted  and  cast 
into  moulds,  the  crude  zinc  loses  10  per  cent.  For  every  pound  of  zinc, 
about  28  ibs.  of  coal  are  used. 

In  the  SILESIAN  PROCESS,  the  small  earthen  tubes  are  replaced  by  muffles, 
made  of  fire-clay  mixed  with  ground  potsherds;  the  muffles  are  from  3  to 
4  feet  long,  and  have  a  diameter  of  from  14  to  18  inches.  The  number  of 
muffles  in  a  furnace  varies  from  5  to  10;  in  Upper  Silesia,  double  furnaces, 
holding  20  muffles,  are  in  use.  The  charge  consists  of  calcined  ore  mixed 
with  an  equal  volume  (about  one-fifth  by  weight)  of  cinders.  A  single 
muffle  will  produce  from  40  to  50  ibs.  of  zinc  daily.  A  muffle  will  last 
several  months. 

The  crude  zinc  obtained  by  any  of  the  above  described  processes  has  to 
be  remelted;  in  this  operation  the  heat  must  not  rise  above  a  low  red-heat, 
and  the  surface  covered  with  a  layer  of  charcoal.  Experience  has  shown 
that,  with  careful  management,  100  ft>s.  of  crude  zinc  will  yield  from  92 


158  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

to  94  Ibs.  of  purified  zinc,  and  from   12  to   16  ft>s  of  a  scoria,  containing 
nearly  50  per  cent,  of  zinc. 

The  preceding  data  I  have  collected  from  the  most  reliable  works  on 
metallurgy  which  I  had  at  my  command.  They  would  be  more  valuable 
if  I  could  have  added  a  calculation  of  the  probable  expense  at  which  a 
furnace  can  be  worked,  and  also  of  the  probable  expense  of  erection;  but 
the  prices  of  building  material,  fuel,  etc.,  the  wages  of  workmen,  and  all 
other  contingent  expenses  being  so  extremely  variable,  the  conditions 
under  which  the  mining  and  smelting  of  the  ore  are  carried  on  in  Europe 
being  so  little  comparable  to  the  circumstances  which  would  surround 
similar  enterprises  in  Arkansas,  I  very  much  doubt  whether  a  calculation 
of  that  kind,  even  if  it  could  have  been  made  with  some  approach  to 
accuracy,  would  have  benefited  any  one  anxious  to  get  information  on  the 
subject.  The  above  data  teach  how  much  metallic  zinc  can  be  produced 
in  a  certain  time,  with  a  furnace  of  a  certain  construction  and  size,  how 
much  fuel  will  be  consumed  in  the  operation,  and  how  much  of  the  crude 
ore  is  probably  required  to  effect  the  result;  this  is  all  that  science  can 
teach — commerce  and  political  economy  must  furnish  the  rest  of  the  desired 
information.  To  one  point,  however,  I  wish  to  call  particular  attention, 
viz:  the  richness  of  the  Arkansas  ores;  in  all  calculations  respecting  the 
probable  success  of  active  mining  and  smelting  operations,  this  circum- 
stance ought  to  enter  as  an  important  item,  since,  from  it,  we  must  reasona- 
bly expect  a  comparative  large  yield  of  metal,  and,  therefore,  larger 
returns  than  ordinary,  other  circumstances  being  equal. 


ORES    OF    LEAD. 


Galena,  or  sulphuret  of  lead,  is  the  only  ore  of  lead  as  yet  found  in  the 
northern  counties  of  the  state.  The  different  kinds  of  galena  which  were 
subjected  to  analysis,  occur  all  in  dolomite,  either  in  pockets  or  veins; 
they  are  all  distinctly  crystalline,  forming,  for  the  most  part,  large  cubes, 
with  perfect  cubical  cleavage. 

They  are  almost  pure  sulphuret  of  lead  (containg  13.4  parts  of  sulphur 
to  86.6  parts  of  lead),  being  perfectly  free  from  zinc,  antimony,  and 
copper;  only  three  of  them  contain  appreciable  quantities  of  iron.  AH 
the  ores  contain  some  silver,  though  probably  only  one  of  them  (No.  14)  a 
sufficient  quantity  to  be  profitable  %r  working.  For  the  method  employed 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


in   determining   the    amount   of    iron    and   silver,  compare  "  methods  of 
analysis,"  below. 

A.— GALENA  FROM  MARION  COUNTY. 

No.  11.  Galena,  from  Wood's  mine,  section  13,  township  19  north,  range 
17  west,  west  branch  of  George  creek: 

Occurs  in  the  dolomite  No.  34.  Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead  without  any 
impurity  but  a  trace  of  silver.  The  lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  contains 
0.00624  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to  1.67  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  of 
galena  (1  ton=2,000  ibs). 

No.  12.  Galena,  from  the  New  York  company's  diggings: 
Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead,  with  a  little  sulphuret  of  iron,  corresponding 
to  0.103  per  cent,  of  metallic  iron.     The  lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  con- 
tains 0.01066  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to  2.88  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton 
of  galena. 

No.  13.  Galena,  from  Molton's  diggings,  one  mile  above  the  fork  of 
Jemmy's  creek: 

Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead  with  a  little  sulphuret  of  iron,  corresponding 
to  0.16  per  cent,  of  metallic  iron.  The  lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  contains 
0.00294  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to  0.784  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  of 
galena. 

No.  14.  Galena,  from  Seawell's  diggings: 

Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead,  without  any  impurities  but  a  small  quantity 
of  silver.  The  lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  contains  0.14014  percent,  of 
silver,  equal  to  37.44  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  of  galena. 

No.  15.  Galena,  from  Hudson's  diggings: 

Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead  with  only  traces  of  iron  and  silver.  The  lead, 
smelted  from  the  ore,  contains  0.00746  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to  2 
ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  ol  galena. 

No.  16.  Galena,  from  McCarty's  diggings: 

Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead,  without  any  impurities  but  a  trace  of  silver. 
The  lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  contains  0.00825  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal 
to  2.25  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  of  galena. 

No.  17.  Galena,  from  Jemmy's  creek  diggings,  near  the  forks: 
Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead,  with  a  little  sulphuret  of  iron,  corresponding 
to  0.1  per  cent,  of  metallic  iron;,  and  a  trace  of  silver.    The  lead,  smelted 


160 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


from  the  ore,  contains  0.019  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to  5  ounces  of  silver 
in  the  ton  of  galena. 


B-— GALENA  FROM  LAWRENCE  COUNTY. 

No.  18.  Galena,  from  E.  W.  Haughton's  diggings: 

Occurs  associated  with  a  light,  ochre-yellow,  argillaceous  rock,  contain- 
ing oxide  of  zinc  (v.  No.  37). 

Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead,  with  only  traces  of  iron  and  silver.  The 
lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  contains  0.00292  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to 
0.78  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  of  galena. 


C.— GALENA  FROM  CARROLL  COUNTY. 

No.  19.  Galena,  from  Coka  and  Mitchell's  diggings: 

Is  pure  sulphuret  of  lead,  with  only  traces  of  iron  and  silver.  The 
lead,  smelted  from  the  ore,  contains  0.01083  per  cent,  of  silver,  equal  to 
2.9  ounces  of  silver  in  the  ton  of  galena. 


TABULAR  VIEW — Of  the   composition  of  the  different  kinds  of  galena 
from  the,  counties  of  Marion,  Lawrence,  and  Carroll. 


*"  O    _J 

03   o     C3 

Contain  in  100  parts, 

j>  o    S3 

86.6  parts  of  lead, 

02    '^^'T? 

«**  a  S 

LOCALITY. 

with 

^  ! 

Iron. 

Silver. 

<*& 

No. 

none 

0.00624 

1-67 

No. 

12,  from  New  York  company's  diggings- 

0.103 

0.01066 

2-88 

No. 

0.160 

0.00294 

0-784 

No. 

none 

0.14014 

37-44 

No. 

trace 

0.00746 

2-00 

No. 

none 

0.00825 

2-25 

No. 

0.100 

0.01900 

5-00 

No. 

18,  from  E.  W.  Houghton's  diggings-  •  •  • 

trace 

0.00292 

0-78 

No. 

19,  from  Coka  &  Mitchell's  diggings-  •  •  • 

trace 

0.01083 

2-90 

Only  one  of  these  ores  (No.  14)  would  probably  pay  for  the  extraction 
of  the  silver;  the  others  are  good  lead  ores.  If,  by  sinking  shafts,  and 
ascertaining  the  extent  of  the  ore-deposit  at  Seawell's  diggings,  the  pre- 
sence of  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  ore  can  be  proved,  there  is  no  doubt 
that,  with  judicious  management,  the  extraction  of  silver  will  prove  very 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


remunerative.  In  England,  the  average  quantity  of  silver  contained  in 
the  lead  which  is  worked  for  silver,  is  7  or  8  ounces  per  ton,  or  about  6  or 
7  ounces  per  ton  of  galena.*  The  galena,  from  the  mines  of  the  "Middle- 
town  Silver  and  Lead  Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company,"  in  Connecti- 
cut, contains  from  25  to  75  oz.  of  silver  to  the  ton  (of  21  cwts)  of  lead. 
The  galena  from  the  "  Washington  mine,"  North  Carolina,  contains  only 
7.5  oz.  of  silver  in  the  ton  (average  of  200  assays).  *  , 


ORES    OF   MANGANESE. 


Of  the  five  specimens  of  ores  of  manganese,  s-ubjected  to  analysis,  two 
(Nos.  20  and  21)  were  collected  on  the  spot;  the  other  three,  I  received 
from  a  gentleman  in  Batesville,  who  collected  them  at  the  localities  below 
mentioned. 

No.  20  Psilomelane,  from  the  main  manganese  mine,  two  miles  above 
West  fork  of  Lafferty  creek,  Independence  county: 

Massive;  lustre  submetallic;  color  between  dark  steel-gray  and  iron- 
black;  hardness  5.5;  fracture  subcrystalline,  hackly,  somewhat  resembling 
the  fracture  of  cast  iron;  brittle;  strikes  fire  with  steel;  powder  reddish- 
brown. 

Before  the  blowpipe,  infusible  alone;  on  charcoal  in  reduction  flame 
becomes  reddish-brown;  in  a  matrass,  yields  water;  with  fluxes,  gives  the 
manganese  reactions.  Dissolves  in  hydrochloric  acid  with  evolution  of 
chlorine,  leaving  a  small  residue  of  silica. 

Occurs  in  veins  traversing  the  encrinital  beds  of  the  cavernous  limestone. 

Composition,  dried  at  250  deg.  F: 

Manganoso-manganic  oxide  (Mn304) 91.367 

Silica 2.845 

Baryta 0.512 

Lime trace 

Water  and  oxygen,  expelled  by  heat 5.931 

100.655 
The  air-dried  mineral  lost  0.53  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  250  deg.  F. 

*  See  J.  D.  Whitney's  "  Metallic  Wealth  of  the  United  States."  Philadelphia,  1854. 
11 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


The  above  numbers  are  the  direct  result  of  analysis.  In  order  to  ascer- 
tain how  much  of  the  volatile  matter,  expelled  by  heat,  is  water,  and 
how  much  oxygen,  the  pulverized  mineral  was  heated  in  aplatina  capsule 
over  the  smallest  flame  of  a  spirit-lamp  with  Argand  burner,  until  the 
weight  remained  constant;  the  loss  amounted  to  1.82  per  cent.  The  heat 
was  then  raised  and  kept  for  about  half  an  hour,  just  below  redness:  the 
mineral  did  not  suffer  any  further  loss.  Assuming  the  1.82  per  cent,  of 
volatile  matter,  expelled  below  red-heat,  to  be  water,  we  obtain  for  oxygen 
5.931  —  1.82=4.111  per  cent.  The  91.367  percent,  of  manganoso-manga- 
nic  oxide  consist  of  84.995  parts  of  protoxide  of  manganese  with  6.372 
parts  of  oxygen;  these,  added  to  the  above  4.111  per  cent.,  give  10.483 
per  cent,  of  free  oxygen,  and  the  composition  of  the  mineral  may,  there- 
fore, be  expressed  thus: 

Protoxide  of  manganese  ........................  84.995 

Free  oxygen  ...............  •  ..................  10.483 

Silica  ........................................  2.845 

Baryta  .......................................  0.512 

Lime  ........................................  trace 

Water  .......................................  1.820 


100.655 

As  a  controlling  experiment,  the  amount  of  free  oxygen  was  determined 
by  Mohr's  method  [v.  "methods  of  analysis,"  below],  and  found  to  be  10.510 
per  cent. 

No.  21.  Psilomelane,  from  same  locality  as  No.  20. 

Massive;  close-textured;  color  bluish  steel-gray;  hardness  5.5;  fracture 
splintery  and  subconchoidal;  brittle;  strikes  fire  with  steel;  powder  reddish- 
brown. 

Before  the  blowpipe,  and  to  reagents,  behaves  like  the  preceding. 

Composition,  dried  at  250  deg.  F: 

Manganoso-manganic    oxide 

Silica    

Baryta • 

Lime • 

Magnesia 

Water  and  oxygen,  expelled  by  heat 

99.850 
The  air-dried  mineral  lost  1.02  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  250  deg.  F. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  163 


The  amount  of  free  oxygen  was  determined  by  Mohr's  method  to  be 
10.002  per  cent. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  quantity  of  free  oxygen  contained  in  the 
88.628  per  cent,  of  manganoso-manganic  oxide,  we  obtain  for  water, 
expelled  at  a  red  heat,  0.611  per  cent.;  hence,  the  composition  of  the 
mineral  may  be  expressed  thus: 

Protoxide  of  manganese 82.448 

Free  oxygen 10.002 

Silica-  •  . 5.329 

Baryta 0.282 

Lime • 1.178 

Magnesia * trace 

Water 0.611 


99.850 

No.  22.  Wad,  from  near  the  North  fork  of  White  river,  Izard  county. 

A  brecciated  rock;  the  matrix  consists  of  wad,  in  which  angular  pieces 
of  white  chert  are  imbedded.  The  wad  possesses  the  following  physical 
and  chemical  properties: 

Compact,  amorphous;  lustre  dull,  on  rounded  edges  shining;  color  iron- 
black;  hardness  4;  powder  dark  brownish  olive-green. 

Heated  on  charcoal  in  reduction  flame,  turns  reddish-brown;  heated  in 
a  matrass,  yields  water  copiously,  at  a  low  heat.  With  fluxes  gives  the 
reactions  of  manganese.  Dissolves  readily  in  hydrochloric  acid,  with 
evolution  of  chlorine,  and  separation  of  silica. 

Having  but  a  small  specimen  at  my  disposal,  and  the  siliceous  mineral 
adhering  very  firmly  to  the  ore,  I  could  not  collect  enough  of  the  pure 
wad  for  the  purpose  of  analysis,  but  was  compelled  to  analyze  the 
mixture. 

The  mixed  minerals,  dried  at  220  deg.  F.,  had  the  following  compo- 
sition: 

Manganoso-manganic  oxide 51.365 

Silica 26.230 

Alumina,  with  trace  of  iron 6.245 

Oxide  of  cobalt 0.104 

Baryta 1.875 

Lime trace 

Water  and  oxygen,  expelled  by  heat 14.889 

100.708 


164  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

The  air-dried  mineral  lost  2.1  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  220  deg.  F. 

The  amount  of  free  oxygen  was  ascertained  by  Mohr's  method  to  be 
7.82  per  cent.  Taking  into  consideration  the  quantity  of  free  oxygen 
contained  in  the  manganoso-manganic  oxide,  we  obtain  for  water  expelled 
at  a  red  heat  10.653  per  cent.;  hence,  the  composition  of  the  mineral  may 
be  thus  expressed: 

Protoxide  of  manganese 47.781 

Free  oxygen 7.820 

Silica 26.230 

Alumina,  with  trace  of  iron 6.245 

Oxide  of  cobalt •  0.104 

Baryta 1 .875 

Lime trace 

Water 10.653 


100.708 

Subtracting  silica  and  alumina,  as  adventitious  intermixtures,  and  cal- 
culating the  remaining  constituents  for  100  parts,  we  obtain  for  the  wad 
the  following  composition: 

Protoxide  of  manganese 70.03 

Free  oxygen 11 .46 

Oxide  of  cobalt 0.15 

Baryta 2.75 

Lime trace 

Water 15.61 


100.00 

No.  23.  Braunite  (?),  from  Poke  bayou,  Marion  county. 

Massive;  texture  finely  granular;  lustre  submetallic;  color  dark  steel 
gray;  hardness  5.5;  strikes  fire  with  steel;  powder  grayish-black;  much 
more  easily  reduced  to  powder,  than  the  two  preceding  minerals;  wea- 
thered surface  shows  brown  spots  of  hydrate  of  peroxide  of  iron. 

Before  the  blowpipe,  infusible;  on  charcoal  in  reduction  flame,  becomes 
pale  reddish-gray  at  the  point  of  contact  with  the  charcoal;  in  a  matrass, 
yields  a  little  water;  with  fluxes,  gives  the  manganese  reactions. 

Dissolves  in  hydrochloric  acid  with  evolution  of  chlorine,  leaving  a 
residue  of  silica. 

Composition  dried  at  220  deg.  F: 

Protoxide  of  manganese 75.386 

Free  oxygen 7.979 


OF   ARKANSAS 


Silica • 9.968 

Peroxide  of  iron 3.523 

Oxide  of  cobalt trace 

Lime 1 .833 

Magnesia 0.192 

Water 1.295 


100.176 

The  air-dried  mineral  lost  0.1  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  220  deg.  F. 

The  free  oxygen  was  determined  by  Mohr's  method.  The  1.295  per 
cent,  of  water  were  determined  by  the  loss  which  the  mineral  suffered  on 
ignition;  the  volatile  matter  was  not  collected;  hence,  it  remains  uncer- 
tain whether  it  consisted  of  water,  or  of  water  and  oxygen;  but  if  any 
oxygen  had  been  driven  out  by  heat,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  why  the 
weight,  after  repeated  ignitions,  remained  constant,  and  why  not  the 
whole  of  the  oxygen  beyond  the  composition  Mn?>O4  was  removed, 
amounting  to  2.328  per  cent.  For  this  reason  the  loss  on  ignition  has 
been  stated  as  water. 

No.  24.  Psilomelane,  six  miles  north  of  Batesville,  on  Poke  bayou. 

Massive;  lustre  submetallic;  color  iron- black;  fracture  uneven,  platy; 
hardness  5.5;  powder  reddish-brown. 

Before  the  blowpipe,  infusible;  on  charcoal  in  reduction  flame,  becomes 
brown;  in  a  matrass,  yields  a  little  water;  with  fluxes  gives  the  manga- 
nese reactions. 

Dissolves  in  hydrochloric  acid  with  evolution  of  chlorine,  leaving  a  very 
slight  residue  of  silica. 

The  mineral  was  only  partially  analyzed.  It  lost  at  250  deg.  F.  0.452 
per  cent,  of  moisture;  heated  higher,  but  below  redness,  the  dried  mineral 
lost  1.124  per  cent.,  probably  water;  and  on  ignition  lost,  additionally, 
5.185  per  cent.,  which  must  have  been  oxygen.  The  free  oxygen  was 
determined,  after  Mohr's  method,  to  be  11.700  per  cent. 

The  qualitative  examination  proved  the  presence  of  small  quantities  of 
cobalt,  baryta,  lime,  magnesia,  and  silica. 

Commercial  value  of  the  Ores  of  Manganese. 

The  ores  of  manganese  are  used  in  the  arts  principally  for  the  purpose 
of  bleaching,  where  they  serve,  in  conjunction  with  common  salt  and  sul- 
phuric acid,  to  produce  chlorine,  the  bleaching  agent,  and  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  glass,  for  the  purpose  of  correcting  the  tinge  imparted  to  the  glass 
by  iron.  In  both  cases,  their  value  entirely  depends  on  the  amount  of 


166 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


free  oxygen  which  they  contain,  that  is:  the  quantity  of  oxygen  more  than 
sufficient  to  form  with  the  whole  of  the  metallic  manganese  the  lowest 
degree  of  oxidation,  the  protoxide;  for  the  purpose  of  the  glass  manufac- 
turer, they  ought  also  to  be  as  free  from  iron  as  possible.  Of  the  various 
compounds  of  manganese,  the  ore  containing  the  largest  proportion  of 
free  oxygen  is  the  peroxide,  commonly  known  as  "  black  oxide  of  manga- 
nese," a  compound  which  occurs  native  as  a  mineral,  called  "  pyrolusite;" 
it  contains  18.36  per  cent,  of  free  oxygen. 

In  order  to  ascertain,  as  near  as  possible,  the  market  value  of  the  Ar- 
kansas ores,  I  procured  from  a  New  York  firm  a  sample  of  what  is  sold 
in  that  city  as  "  black  oxide  of  manganese  "  at  the  rate  of  three  and  a 
half  cents  per  pound,  by  the  hundred  weight,  in  the  ground  state;  on 
analysis,  I  found  this  sample  to  contain  9.246  per  cent,  of  free  oxygen, 
corresponding  to  50.35  per  cent,  of  pure  peroxide  of  manganese;  it  contained 
a  large  proportion  of  silica,  a  circumstance  which  probably  makes  the 
ore  very  difficult  to  grind.  In  the  Hartz  mountains,  a  famous  European 
locality  for  the  ores  of  manganese,  three  qualities  of  the  ore  are  sold,  the 
price  varying  with  the  amount  of  free  oxygen;  the 

First  quality  contains  12.60  per  cent,  of  free  oxygen. 

Second     "  "        10.00    "       "  "          " 

Third       "  "          7.36    "       "  " 

(See  Bruno  Kerl,  in  Chem.  Centralblatt  for  1853.) 

The  ores  of  Arkansas  contain 


NUMBER  OF  SPECIMEN. 

Per  cent,  of  free 
oxygen. 

100  parts  of  ore 
correspond  to  pure 
MnO2 

Peroxide  of  iron. 

Nn    20.  . 

1  0  4S^ 

^7  24 

Nn    21. 

i  o  002 

^4  47 

7  H90 

49  ^Q 

No.  22,  freed  from  gangue  

IV  n     91  .  . 

11.460 
7  <)7Q 

62.42 

4^  4-fi 

3^9^ 

Nn     24.  . 

U7OO 

f>*3  79 

? 

Q  94fi 

*f)  Qr; 

? 

The  ores  Nos.  20,  21,  24,  and  22  when  freed  from  its  gangue,  are,  as 
seen  by  the  table,  superior  to  the  ore  procured  from  New  York,  and  ought 
to  command,  therefore,  a  higher  price;  they  contain,  on  the  average  10.911 
per  cent,  of  free  oxygen,  which  places  them  intermediate  between  the  1st 
and  2d  quality  of  the  German  ore. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


Chemical  constitution  of  the  ores  of  Manganese. 

The  constitution  of  the  manganese-minerals  which  do  not  occur  in  the 
crystallized  state,  has  been  a  point  of  some  discussion  amongst  mineralo- 
gists. As  long  as  their  rational  formulae  are  not  indubitably  established, 
every  new  analysis  may  be  expected  to  throw  some  light  on  the  subject. 
Although  the  foregoing  analyses  were  principally  executed  with  a  view 
to  ascertain  the  economical  value  of  the  ores,  the  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject may  serve  as  an  excuse,  if  I  take  up  a  short  space  for  purely  theoreti- 
cal speculations. 

It  was  Rammelsberg,  if  I  mistake  not,  who  first  considered  psilomelane 
as  a  compound  of  peroxide  of  manganese  with  bases  of  the  constitution 
RO,  these  bases  being  principally  MnO,  BaO,KO,  CaO,  MgO,  and  CoO> 
the  peroxide  of  manganese  in  these  compounds  acts  the  part  of  the  acid. 
Adopting  this  view,  we  have  to  reject,  in  the  construction  of  a  formula, 
the  silicia  and  the  bases  of  the  constitution  R2O3,  as  adventitious  constitu- 
ents; a  rejection  which,  though  rather  arbitrary,*  may  be  admitted  on  the 

ea  of  expediency.  Leaving,  therefore,  the  silica  in  the  analysis  of  Nos. 
20  and  21  out  of  consideration,  and  calculating  the'remaining  constituents 
for  100,  we  obtain  for  these  minerals  the  following  composition: 

No.  20  No.  21 

Protoxide  of  manganese 86.898  87.22 

Oxygen 10.718  10.58 

Baryta 0.523  0.29 

Lime trace  1 .27 

Water   1 .861  0.64 


100.000  100.00 

Uniting  the  free  oxygen  with  a  portion  of  the  protoxide  of  manganese  to 
the  formation  of  peroxide,  we  have 

For   No.  20. 
Peroxide  of  manganese 58.373  contains  O  21.4 

Protoxide  of  manganese 39.243         "  8.83) 

Baryta 0.523         "  0.05V      9.53 

Water 1.861         "  1.65) 

*  Compare  on  this   subject    the  observations  of  Gustav  Bischof,  in   the  2d  vol.,  of  his  "  Ele- 
ments of  chemical  and  physical  geology,"  p.  85,  etc. 


168  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

For  No.  21. 

Peroxide  of  manganese 57.92  contains  O  21.27 

Protoxide  of  manganese 39.88         "  8.97^ 

Baryta 0.29         "  0.03  I    Q  Qo 

Lime    1.27         «  0.36  f 

Water 0.64         "  0.57J 

Rammelsberg  does  not  include  water  under  the  bases  of  the  constitution 
RO;  but  seeing  no  objection  to  its  being  considered  isomorphous  with  CaO 
and  BaO,  and  gaining  the  advantage  of  a  simple  formula,  I  have  classed 
it  with  these  bases.  From  the  above  oxygen-ratio,  we  obtain  for  the  two 
minerals  the  general  expression: 

RO.  Mn02--x  MnO2 

in  which  x  MnO2  stands  for  the  amount  of  peroxide  of  manganese  which 
must  be  considered  as  mechanically  intermixed  with  the  compound 
RO.MnO2.  For  the  potassa-psilomalane  from  llmenau,  Rammelsberg 
deduced  the  formula  2  RO.  MnO2-|-x  MnO2. 

For  No.  20  we  finally  obtain  the  expression: 

(MnO.  BaO.  HO).  MnO2- -6.37  per  cent,  of  MnO2 
mechanically  intermixed. 

For  No.  21 

(MnO.  BaO.  CaO.  HO).MnO2-j-3.84  per  cent,  of  MnO2 
mechanically  intermixed. 

Uniting  in  analysis  of  No.  22,  the  free  oxygen  with  a  portion  of  the  pro- 
toxide of  manganese  to  the  formation  of  peroxide,  we  have: 

Peroxide  of  manganese 62.41   contains  O  22.92 

Protoxide  of  mangauese 19.08         "           "  4.29) 

Baryta 2.75         "  "  0.52V       4.84 

Oxide  of  cobalt 0.15         "  "0.03) 

Water 15.61         "  13.97 


100.00 
The  formula 

(MnO.  CoO.  BaO).  2  MnO2-|-3  HO--x  MnO2 

requires 

Peroxide  of  manganese  (mixed)         9.61  Oxygen-ratio. 

Peroxide  of  manganese  (combined)  52.80  contains  O     19.36  4 


OF  ARKANSAS.  1()9 


Protoxide  of  manganese 19.08  " 

Baryta 2.75  "  "        4.84               1 

Oxide  of  cobalt 0.15  " 

Water 16.33  "  "      14.52              3 


100.72 

This  is  the  same  formula  which  Ramrnelsberg  established  for  the  com- 
position of  the  wad  from  Rubeland  (v.  2d  supplement,  p.  167). 

Proceeding  in  the  same  manner  with  the  analysis  of  No.  22,  that  is, 
rejecting  silicic  acid  and  peroxide  of  iron,  and  calculating  the  remainder 
for  100,  we  have: 

Protoxide  of  manganese 86.96 

Oxygen 9.20 

Lime 2.12 

Magnesia   0.22 

Water 1.50 


100.00 

86.96  parts  of  protoxide  of  manganese  consist  of  67.41  of  manganese  and 
19.55  of  oxygen;  hence  we  have,  in  toto  67.41  manganese  to  28.75  oxygen, 
corresponding   to  the  ratio       69.68  Mn  :       29.72  O; 
the  compound  Mn2O3  requires  69.68  Mn  :       30.42  O, 
so  that  the  mineral  may  be  considered  as  sesquioxide  of  manganese,  or 
braunite,  under  the  supposition  that  we  are  justified  in  rejecting   lime, 
magnesia,  and  water  as  adventitious.     But  if  these  bases  have  to  be  taken 
into   consideration,  and  the  free  oxygen  is  united  with  a  portion  of  the 
protoxide  of  manganese  to  the  formation  of  peroxide,  we  have: 

Peroxide  of  manganese 50.10  contains  O  18.40 

Protoxide  of  manganese 46.06         "         "   10.36^ 

Lime 2.12         «         "     0.601 

Magnesia 0.22         "         "     0.08  f 

Water 1.50         "         "     1.33  J 

Here  the  oxygen-ratio  of  RO  :  MnO2  is  nearly  as  4  :  6,  which  would  lead 
to  the  formula 

4  (MnO.  CaO.  MgO.  HO).  3  MnO 

I  am  not  at  present  prepared  to  pronounce  in  favor  of  any  of  these 
views,  but  as  I  am  continuing"  my  investigations  into  the  composition  of 
the  massive  manganese-minerals,  I  hope  to  find  myself  soon  enabled  to 
advance  some  well-founded  views  on  the  subject. 


170  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


ORES  OF  IRON. 

No.  25.  Yellow  ochre,  from  the  St.  Francis  side  of  Crowley's  ridge,  near 
David  Schultze's,  between  township  18  and  19,  range  8,  Greene  county. 

A  loosely  aggregated,  amorphous,  homogeneous  rock,  of  gold-yellow 
color;  very  friable;  feels  gritty  between  the  fingers;  becomes  brick-red  on 
ignition: 

Composition  dried  at  220  deg.  F: 

Fine  sand 71.081 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 23.640 

Alumina trace 

Water 5.094 


99.815 

The  air-dried  substance  lost  1.15  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  220  deg.  F. 

This  ochre  forms  only  a  small  deposit  in  the  quarternary  rocks  of  Greene 
county,  and  is  evidently  nothing  but  a  fine  sand  impregnated  with  hydrated 
sesquioxide  of  iron,  which  is  the  coloring  principle.  The  amount  of  iron 
(15.55  per  cent.)  is  too  small  to  constitute  this  ochre  an  iron  ore,  even  if 
the  deposit  should  prove  to  be  very  extensive;  but  it  may  be  profitably 
used  as  a  paint,  both  in  its  natural  state  and  calcined,  since  it  is  very  soft 
and  uniform  throughout,  and  hardly  needs  any  washing  in  order  to  remove 
the  coarser  particles. 

No.  26.  Limonite,  from  Old  Jackson,  Lawrence  county. 

The  ore  consists  of  contorted,  more  or  less  concentric  layers  of  brown- 
ish-red, steel-gray,  and  brownish  black  color;  it  contains  amygdaloidal 
cavities  filled  either  with  stalactitic,  glossy  red  hematite,  or  with  yellow 
hydrated  peroxide  of  iron. 

Dissolves  in  hydrochloric  acid  with  evolution  of  chlorine. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Clay,  sand,  and  silica 15.069 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 58.278 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese 13.843 

Alumina trace 

Oxide  of  cobalt trace 

Carbonate  of  magnesia 0.664 


OF   ARKANSAS. 


Carbonate  of  lime * trace 

Water 12.080 

99.934 
58.278  parts  of  peroxide  of  iron  contains  40.79  parts  of  metallic  iron. 

No.  27.  Limonite,  from  Dr.  Payne's  land,  Pocahontas,  Randolph  county. 

Massive;  reddish-brown,  with  yellow  spots  on  surface;  rather  earthy  in 
appearance;  evolves  argillaceous  odor  when  breathed  upon,  and  adheres 
to  the  tongue.  Powder  dark  brownish-red,  becoming  rather  more  red  on 
ignition. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Clay  and  sand 21.100 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 69.036 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese 1.488 

Alumina trace 

Carbonate  of  lime trace 

Water 7.590 

99.214 
69.036  parts  of  sesquioxide  of  iron  contain  48.33  parts  of  metallic  iron. 

No.  28.   Limonite,  from  Alfred  Bevens  &  Co.,  Lawrence  county. 

Massive;  of  earthy  appearance  and  yellow  color  on  and  near  the  sur- 
face, in  the  interior  brownish-yellow  and  more  compact;  evolves  strong 
argillaceous  odor  when  breathed  upon;  adheres  to  the  tongue.  Powder 
dirty  brownish-yellow. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Silica 3.099 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 79.663 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese trace 

Alumina 5.203 

Carbonate  of  lime 0.556 

Water 11.397 


99.918 
79.663  parts  of  sesquioxide  of  iron  contain  55.76  parts  of  metallic  iron. 

No.  29.  Limonite,  so-called  "  pot  and  kidney  ore,"  from  Alfred  Bevens 
&,  Co.,  Lawrence  county. 

Massive;  compact,  stalactitic  and  reniform;  surface  smooth,  of  reddish- 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


brown  and  blackish-brown  color,  with  occasional  yellow  spots;  fracture 
dull,  dark  reddish-brown;  emits  argillaceous  odor  when  breathed  upon; 
adheres  slightly  to  the  tongue. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Silica  and  clay  .................................  3.090 

Sesquioxide  of  iron  .............................  83.920 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese  .......................  trace 

Alumina  ......................................  1  .710 

Lime  ....................................    .....  trace 

Water  ........................................  11.580 

100.300 
83.920  parts  of  sesquioxide  of  iron  contain  59.74  parts  of  metallic  iron. 

No.  30.  Limonite,  four  miles  south-west  of  Imboden's  ferry,  Randolph 
county. 

Exterior  crust  dirty  reddish-yellow,  earthy;  in  the  interior  dark  bluish- 
brown,  consisting  of  indistinctly  concentric,  contorted  layers;  loosely 
aggregated;  rather  soft;  evolves  strong  argillaceous  color  when  breathed 
upon;  strongly  adhering  to  the  tongue;  powder  of  a  dirty  brownish  olive- 
green  color,  becoming  dark  reddish-brown  on  ignition. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Insoluble  silicates  .............................  7.740 

Sesquioxide  of  iron  ...........................  66.808 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese  .....................  11.472 

Alumina  .....................................  1  .295 

Lime  .......................................  trace 

Phosphoric  acid  ..............................  trace 

Water  .......................................  13.337 


100.652 
66.808  parts  of  sesquioxide  of  iron  contain  46.76  parts  of  metallic  iron. 

No.  31.  Limonite,  four  miles  west  of  Salem,  Fulton  county. 

Massive;  very  compact;  on  surface  brownish-yellow;  on  fracture 
brownish-red,  with  steel-gray  spots  and  stripes;  fracture  subconchoidal; 
evolves  argillaceous  odor  when  breathed  upon;  adheres  to  the  tongue. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Insoluble  silicates  and  sand 20.722 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 68.543 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese    •  •  •  • 1.221 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


173 


Alumina 
Lime  •  •  • 
Water  •  • 


3.590 
trace 
8.259 


95.155 


O<J.  ItJtJ 

68.543  parts  of  sesquioxide  of  iron  contain  47.98  parts  of  metallic  iron. 


The  preceding  six  ores  are  all  very  good  iron  ores,  and  valuable  for 
manufacturing  purposes  if  procurable  in  sufficient  quantity.  With  regard 
to  Nos.  26  and  30,  it  is  to  be  remarked  that  the  yield  of  metal  will  be 
increased  by  an  intermixture  with  the  manganese,  reducible  from  the  ses- 
quioxide of  manganese,  which  forms  with  the  iron  an  alloy,  valued  very 
highly  by  some  iron-men  as  being  particularly  adapted  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  a  superior  quality  of  steel. 

The  following  table  shows,  at  a  glance,  the  richness  and  comparative 
value  of  the  ores: 


100  parts  of  ore  from 

Contain 
^ 

Total. 

r 

Iron. 

> 
Manganese. 

40.79 
48.33 
55.76 
59.74 
46.76 
47.98 

9.64 
1.04 
trace 
trace 
7.99 
0.85 

50.43 
49.37 
55.76 
59.74 
54.75 
48.83 

Alf   Upvpnq  AT-  Co     No    28.  • 

The  absence  of  sulphur  and  phosphoric  acid  in  these  ores  is  a  further 
recommendation  for  smelting  purposes,  as  the  presence  of  these  impuri- 
ties is  apt  to  injure  the  quality  of  the  iron. 


174  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


ROCKS  ASSOCIATED  WITH  THE  ORES  OF  ZINC 

AND  LEAD. 

A  careful  examination  of  the  rocks  in  which  the  ores  of  zinc  and  lead 
occur,  and  of  the  substances  which  are  found  associated  with  them  in  the 
veins  and  crevices,  will  probably  throw  some  light  on  the  origin  of  these 
metalliferous  deposits,  and  enable  the  geologist  to  form  a  correct  idea  of 
their  mode  of  formation.  This  was  one  of  the  objects  we  had  in  view  in 
submitting  the  below  enumerated  rocks  to  chemical  analysis.  Want  of 
time,  however,  prevented  me  from  carrying  on  the  investigation  to  a 
sufficient  extent,  and  I  was  obliged  to  defer  to  a  future  period  the  comple- 
tion of  a  sufficient  number  of  analyses  to  enable  us  to  draw  satisfactory 
conclusions  from  them. 

f]  No.  32.  Dolomite,  which  cuts  out  the  ore  at  the  Hoppe  mine,  Lawrence 
county. 

A  pale  yellowish-gray,  compact  dolomite;  fracture  subconchoidal;  very 
hard;  brittle;  powder  of  a  light  cream-color. 

Composition,  dried  at  230  deg.  F: 

Insoluble    silicates • 6.701 

Carbonate  of  lime 53.998 

Carbonate    of  magnesia 35.059 

Carbonate  of  iron 2.253 

Carbonate   of  zinc 1 .978 

Potassa 0.106 


100.095 
The  air-dried  rock  lost  0.37  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  230  deg.  F. 

No.  33.  Dolomite,  with  and  below  the  zinc-deposit  at  the  Koch  mine, 
Lawrence  county. 

A  dark  yellowish-gray  dolomite,  compact  and  close-textured;  fracture 
subconchoidal;  very  brittle;  gives  out  a  peculiar  bituminous  odor  when 
struck  with  the  hammer;  powder  ash-colored. 

Composition,  dried  at  250  deg.  F: 

Insoluble  silicates 10.935 

Iron,  alumina,  and  trace  of  manganese-  •       1.482 


OF  ARKANSAS.  175 


Carbonate  of  lime 50.075 

Carbonate   of  magnesia 32.487 

Potassa 0.136 

Organic  matter,  and  loss 4.985 


100.000 
The  air-dried  rock  lost  0.16  per  cent  of  moisture  at  250  deg.  F. 

No.  34.  Dolomite,  in  which  occur  the  zinc  and  lead  ores  at  Wood's 
mine,  Marion  county. 

A  grayish-white,  fine-grained  dolomite;  lustre  sub-resinous  from  minute 
crystalline,  shining  particles  dispersed  through  the  rock;  easily  reduced  to 
powder;  powder  grayish- white. 

Composition,  dried  at  230  deg.  F: 

Silicia,  with  a  trace  of  clay 3.191 

Alumina,  with  trace  of  iron 3.023 

Carbonate  of  lime 50.041 

Carbonate  of  magnesia • 42.317 

Carbonate  of  zinc 1.950 

Potassa,  with  trace  of  soda 0.435 


100.957 
The  air-dried  rock  lost  0.23  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  230  deg.  F. 

No.  35.  Red  clay,  occurring  in  veins  and  pockets  in  dolomite  and 
imbedding  the  zinc  ore  at  the  Bath  mine,  Lawrence  county. 

A  ferruginous  clay  of  dirty  yellowish-red  color;  soft;  easily  crumbling 
to  powder  between  the  fingers;  when  burnt,  assumes  a  bright  orange-red 
color. 

Composition,  dried  at  250  deg.  F: 

Silicates,  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  acid-  • 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 

Sesquioxide  of  manganese 

Alumina • 

Carbonate  of  zinc 

Carbonate   of  lime 

Organic  matter,   and  water 


99.772 

The  air-dried  clay  lost  4.32  per  cent  of  moisture  at  250  deg.  F. 

On  account  of  the  bright  color  which  the  clay  assumes  on  burning,  it 


176  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

might  become  useful  as  a  common  paint,  though  the  amount  of  oxide  of 
iron  present  is  rather  small. 

No.  36.  Argillaceous  rock,  from  the  crevices  of  the  New  York  company's 

lead  mines,  Marion  county. 

Massive,  amorphous;    color    pale   yellowish-white    and   reddish- white; 

very  light  and  soft;  can  be  cut  with  a  knife  like  chalk;  on  the  surface, 

covered  with  a  crust  of  peroxide  of  iron;  powder  of  a  pale  reddish  cream 

color;  assumes  on  ignition  a  fine  pink  color. 
Composition,  dried  at  230  deg.  F: 

Insoluble  silicates,  mainly  a  very  fine  soft  clay 96.095 

Peroxide  of  iron,  and  alumina,  with  a  little  phosphoric  acid.       1.795 

Lime 0.148 

Manganese,  magnesia,  and  potassa traces 

Water 2.055 


100.093 
The  air-dried  rock  lost  0.73  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  230  deg.  F. 

No.  37.  Argillaceous  rock,  associated  with  galena,  at  Houghton's  dig- 
gings, Lawrence  county. 

Bears  a  great  resemblance  to  the  preceding  rock  in  general  appearance. 
Its  origin  is  probably  the  same,  occurring,  as  it  does,  under  similar  condi- 
tions; but  it  appears  to  have  come  in  contact,  after  its  deposition,  with  liquids 
containing  oxide  of  zinc  in  solution.  The  presence  of  about  8  per  cent, 
of  oxide  of  zinc  in  this  clay  points  to  the  deposition  of  carbonate  of  zinc 
somewhere  near  Houghton's  lead  diggings. 

Massive,  amorphous;  color  ochre-yellow;  light  and  soft;  can  be  cut  with 
a  knife  like  chalk;  covered  on  the  surface  with  a  thin  layer  of  red  clay, 
resembling  No.  35;  powder  of  a  dirty  grayish-yellow  color. 
Composition,  dried  at  230  deg.  F: 

Clay  and  sand 74.841 

Peroxide  of  iron 2.383 

Alumina 8.213 

Phosphoric    acid 0.214 

Oxide  of  zinc,  with  trace  of  manganese 8.262 

Carbonate  of  lime 0.709 

Carbonate   of  magnesia 1.337 

Water  and  carbonic  acid  (?),  expelled  by  heat-  •       3.844 

99.803 
The  air-dried  clay  lost  3.92  percent,  of  moisture  at  230  de^.  F. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


As  no  carbonic  acid  determination  was  made,  it  remains  undecided 
whether  the  oxide  of  zinc  occurs  in  the  rock  as  such,  or  in  combination 
with  carbonic  acid;  most  likely  as  a  basic  carbonate. 


The  foregoing  analyses  need  no  comment.  Nos.  32, 33,  and  34  are 
true  dolomites;  the  small  amount  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  which  occurs  in 
two  of  them,  is  by  no  means  surprising  if  we  consider  that  the  deposition 
of  carbonate  of  zinc  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock  was  most  likely  effected 
by  means  of  liquids  containing  the  salt  of  zinc  in  solution;  and  whether 
these  liquids  actually  percolated  through  the  dolomite  or  entered  the 
crevices  by  some  other  way,  the  deposition  of  a  small  quantity  of  the  salt 
in  the  immediately  adjoining  rock  is  equally  well  explicable.  Gustav 
Bischof  mentions  several  instances  of  this  kind  (Elements  of  chem.  and 
phys.  geology.  Engl.  edition,  vol.  1,  p.  165.) 


LIGNITES. 


Both  varieties  of  lignite,  the  analyses  of  which  are  given  below,  occur 
in  the  same  bed,  interstratified  in  the  quarternary  deposits  of  Crowley's 
ridge,  Greene  county. 

No.  38.  Lignite,  from  the  Beech-branch  of  Cache,  near  Gainesville, 
Greene  county. 

Color  light  brown  to  blackish-brown;  woody  structure  eminently  pre- 
served, laminated;  on  fracture,  partly  shining,  partly  dull;  maybe  cut  with 
a  knife,  cut  surface  shining;  very  brittle;  on  application  of  a  gentle  heat, 
evolves  empyreumatic  odor  and  assumes  the  appearance  of  charcoal. 
Composition,  dried  at  212  to  220  deg.  F: 

Volatile  matter 41.030 

Fixed  carbon  (charcoal) 57.405 

Ash    1.565 


100.00 

The  air-dried  lignite  lost  14.89  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  220  deg.  F. 
A  qualitative  examination  of  the  ash  showed  the  presence  of  clay  and 
ailica,  sulphate  of  lime,  iron,  alumina,  and  potassa. 
12 


178  GEOLOGICAL     RECONNOISSANCE 

No.  39.  Lignite,  from  same  locality  as  No.  38. 

Color  dark  grayish-brown;  woody  structure  only  partly  preserved,  in- 
distinctly laminated;  fracture  dull;  may  be  cut  with  a  knife,  cut  surface 
shining. 

Composition,  dried  ot  212  to  220  deg.  F: 

Volatile  matter ' 31.9G3 

Fixed  carbon  (charcoal) 53.737 

Ash   14.300 


100.000 

The  air-dried  lignite  lost  12.774  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  220  deg.  F. 
A  qualitative  examination  of  the  ash  showed  the  presence  of  clay  (pre- 
ponderating) and  silica,  sulphate  of  lime,  iron,  alumina,  and  potassa. 


— o- 


The  small  amount  of  ash  which  these  lignites  contain,  would  make 
them  useful  as  fuel,  if  timber  were  scarce  in  that  part  of  Arkansas  where 
they  occur,  or  as  a  substitute  for  stone-coal,  in  cases  where  the  use  of  the 
latter  is  preferable  to  that  of  wood. 


NITRE    EARTHS. 


Of  the  samples  of  nitre  earth  which  were  collected  on  the  first  geo- 
logical excursion,  I  made  a  complete  analysis  of  only  one;  two  have  been 
analyzed  by  Dr.  Owen,*  who  determined  all  the  various  constituents 
directly,  with  the  exception  of  the  nitric  acid,  the  quantity  of  which 
was  estimated  by  the  loss.  The  importance  of  the  subject  made  it 
appear  desirable  to  have  a  direct  determination  of  this  acid  in  the  two 
samples  referred  to;  they  are  given  in  Nos.  41  and  42.  For  the  method 
employed,  see  "methods  of  analysis,"  p.  190. 

No,  40.  Nitre  earth;  labeled  "  white  nitre  earth  formed  from  decompo- 
sition of  bottom  rock,  Marion  county." 

A  jsoft,  calcareous  earth,  of  pale   yellowish-red   color,  feeling  slightly 
-itty  between  the  fingers;  of  sandy  appearance,  containing  fragments  of 


g 


JTT"  r^--  Qwen'»  Report. 
*See  Di. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


soft  dolomite,  and  excrements  of  bats  or  birds.     It  is  very  easily  reduced 
to  a  fine  powder,  which  feels  soft  between  the  fingers. 

Composition  dried  at  240  deg.  F: 

Matter  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  acid 11.516 

Oxide  of    iron,  phosphates   of  alumina,  lime  and 

magnesia 5.908 

Lime 22.929 

Magnesia 14.884 

Potassa 1.106 

Chlorine 0.062 

Sulphuric  acid 1.375 

Nitric    acid 0.973 

Carbonic  acid 38.487 

Organic  matter,  and  loss 2.790 


100.000 
The  air-dried  earth  lost  1.681  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  240  deg.  F. 

Another  portion  of  the  air-dried  earth  was  treated  with  distilled  water, 
until  fresh  portions  of  the  solvent  ceased  to  take  up  any  fixed  matter. 
The  solutions  were  united,  evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  residue  sub- 
jected to  analysis.  100  parts  of  the  air-dried  earth  yielded  3.936  parts  of 
solid,  soluble  matter,  at  220  deg.,  F.,  which  had  the  following  compo- 
sition: 

Lime     1 .013 

Magnesia 0.180 

Potassa 0.066 

Chlorine 0.012 

Sulphuric  acid 1.338 

Nitric  acid 0.956 

Organic  matter  and  water 0.371 


3.936 

Hence  it  follows,  that  from  100  ft>g  of  the  air-dried  earth  1.791  ibs  of 
nitre  may  be  obtained,  which  consist  of  0.956  ibs  of  nitric  acid  and  0.835 
R>s  of  potassa. 

No.  41.  Nitre-determination,  in  a  nitre  earth,  labeled  "  laminated  nitre 
earth  from  a  cave  in  Marion  county." 

100  parts  of  the  air-dried  earth  were  found  to  yield  9.892  parts  of  solid 


matter  to  the  solvent  action  of  water;  this  extract  contained  1.33  parts  of 
anhydrous  nitric  acid,  corresponding  to  2.493  parts  of  nitre. 
The  air-dried  earth  lost  7.59  per  cent,  of  moisture  at  212  deg.  F. 

No.  42.  Nitre-determination,  in  a  nitre  earth,  labeled  "  red  nitre  earth 
above  and  below  the  laminated  nitre  earth,  same  cave." 

The  watery  extract  from  100  parts  of  air-dried  earth  contains  3.305 
parts  of  anhydrous  nitric  acid,  corresponding  to  6.195  parts  of  nitre. 

According  to  Dr.  Owen,  the  air-dried  earth  lost  3.15  per  cent,  of  mois- 
ture at  300  deg.  F. 

This  nitre-earth  is  by  far  the  richest  of  the  three,  a  ton  yielding  nearly 
124  ft>s  of  nitre. 


WELL  AND  RIVER  WATER. 


The  examinations  of  these  waters  having  been  performed  in  the  field, 
with  comparatively  limited  means,  only  qualitative  analyses  could  be 
made,  and  in  these  even,  regard  could  only  be  paid  to  such  constituents 
as  occur  in  not  inconsiderable  quantities.  I  hope  to  be  enabled  to  report 
at  a  future  period  full  quantitative  analyses  of  the  water  of  the  principal 
rivers  and  mineral  springs. 

No.  43.  Water  of  the  St.  Francis  river,  taken  at  Chalk  Bluffs,  Greene 
county. 

The  ordinary  reagents  showed  only  the  presence  of 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

No.  44.  Water  from  a  well  on  A.  L.  Stuart's  farm,  Greene  county. 
This  water  is  remarkably  pure,  containing  no  lime,  and  only  a  small 
quantity  of 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia,  and  a  trace  of 

Chloride  of  magnesium,  or  an  alkaline  chloride. 

No.  45.  Water  from  a  well  on  Wm.  Lane's  farm,  Greene  county. 
This  is  also  a  very  pure  water,  containing  only  minute  quantities  of 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


No.  46.  Water  from  a  well  on  J.  P.  Harris'  farm,  dug  through  shell- 
marl  of  the  Loess  into  gravel  below. 
Contains  a  considerable  amount  of 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

No.  47.  Water  from  a  well  on  Thos.  McElrath's  farm,  sunk  in  the  bot- 
tom land,  Jackson  county. 
Contains  small  quantities  of 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

The  test  with  chloride  of  gold  showed  the  presence  of  a  trace  of  or- 
ganic matter. 

No.  48.  Water  of  White  river,  taken  at  Jacksonport,  Jackson  county. 
The  water  contains  not  inconsiderable  a  quantity  of 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime;  only  traces  of 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia,  and 

Chlorides. 

No.  49.  Water  from  a  well  on  Mr.  Cobb's  farm,  Oil  Trough  bottom,  6 
miles  west  of  Jacksonport. 
Contains  small  quantities  of 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia,  and  a  comparatively  large  amount  of 

Chlorides. 

No.  50.  Water  of  North  fork  of  White  river,  taken  at  Mr.  Ware's  mill, 
Izard  county. 

Contains  considerable  quantities  of 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

No.  51.    Water  from  a  spring,  being  one  of  the  heads  of  Big   creek, 
taken  near  J.  Young's  farm,  Marion  county. 
Contains  a  large  amount  of 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

No.  52.  Water  of  the  "  Mammoth  Spring,"  head  of  main  Spring  river, 
Fulton  county. 


182 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


Temperature  of  the  spring  on  the  10th  of  December,  1857,  57  deg.  F., 
the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  being  18  deg.  F. 

The  ordinary  reagents  showed  only  the  presence  of  considerable  quan- 
tities of 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  and 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 


APPENDIX. 


After  having  brought  to  a  close  the  foregoing  analyses,  to  be  embodied 
in  the  present  Report,  I  found  time  to  examine  a  few  more  of  the  speci- 
mens collected  during  our  first  field-excursion.  The  results  could  not  be 
reported  in  their  proper  places  without  re-arranging  and  in  part  re-writing 
the  contents  of  the  foregoing  pages;  I,  therefore,  give  them  a  place  in 
this  appendix. 

No.  53.  Pearlspar,  forming  veins  in  the  dolomite  (No.  32)  of  the  Hoppe 
ore-bank. 

Crystallized,  crystals  partly  interwoven,  the  characteristic  curved  sur- 
faces eminently  developed;  color  white  to  pale  flesh-color;  covered  on  sur- 
face with  a  thin  layer  of  peroxide  of  iron.  Powder,  pale  reddish-white. 

Composition,  dried  at  220  deg.  F: 

Silicates,  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  acid 0.219 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 1.168 

Carbonate  of  lime 55.052 

Carbonate  of  magnesia 43.560 


99.999 

No.  54.  Massive  smithsonite,  from  Cury  creek  diggings,  township  15, 
range  5,  sections  35  and  36,  Independence  county. 

The  ore  consists  chiefly  of  a  dirty  yellowish-gray  and  bluish-gray  cellu- 
lar mass,  the  cells  mostly  of  cubical  shape  as  if  formed  by  the  destruction 
of  crystals  of  galena;  they  are  partly  filled  with  dark-gray  smithsonite, 
forming  botryoidal  incrustations  on  the  walk  of  the  cells,  partly  with  an 


184 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


amorphous,  yellow,  soft  variety  of  smithsonite;  powder  of  dirty  cream- 
color. 

Occurs  in  fissures  in  dolomite. 

Composition  of  air-dried  ore: 

Silica 2.367 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 2.750 

Oxide  of  zinc -  55.238 

Sulphuret  of  zinc 0.328 

Lime 2.158 

Magnesia 1 .065 

Carbonic  acid  and  water 34.738 


98.644 

55.238  oxide  of  zinc  contain  44.334  metallic  zinc.  A  very  good  ore  for 
smelting,  intermediate  between  No.  4  and  No.  3,  of  the  Bath  mine. 

No.  55.  it-ic^sive  smithsonite,  from  Mr. Smith's  land,  township  17, 

range  2  west,  section  iJ,  Lawrence  county. 

A  massive,  soft,  earthy  rock,  of  white,  reddish-white,  and  pale-yellow 
color,  containing  amygdaloidal  cavities,  which  are,  in  part,  filled  with 
incrustations  of  botryoidal  smithsonite;  the  surface  of  the  latter  fre- 
quently covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  peroxide  of  iron.  The  rock  contains 
crystals  of  galena  imbedded. 

Composition  of  the  earthy,  air-dried  ore: 

White  sand,  and  clay  (?) 26.454 

Sesquioxide  of  iron,  and  alumina 2.193 

Oxide  of  zinc 27.600 

Sulphuret  of  lead 0.793 

Lime 8.048 

Magnesia 3.260 

Carbonic  acid,  water,  and  loss  • 31.652 


100.000 

27.600  parts  of  oxide  of  zinc  contains  22.15  parts  of  metallic  zinc.  Not 
a  rich  ore,  but  equal  to  the  Silesian  ore  No.  11,  of  the  table  on  page  156. 

No.  56.  Smithsonite,  from  the  Koch  mine. 

For  the  subjoined  analysis,  pieces  of  the  pure,  botryoidal  smithsonite 
were  taken,  which  occur  as  an  incrustation  on  the  compact  ore. 

Concentric  incrustation,  internal  structure  semi-fibrous;  color  yellowish- 
gray,  the  outermost  layer  dirty  reddish-gray;  hardness  between  4  and  5: 
fracture  conchoidal;  lustre  vitreous;  subtranslucent;  brittle. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


Composition: 

Silica 1 .449 

Oxide  of  zinc ....  62.864 

Oxide  of  iron trace 

Lime 1.322 

Magnesia trace 

Carbonic  acid,  (loss  on  ignition) 34.095 


99.730 
The  rational  composition  is,  perhaps: 

Silicate  of  zinc 2.748 

Carbonate  of  zinc   94.925 

"  "    lime • 2.360 


100.033 

which  requires  34.398  per  cent,  of  carbonic  acid,  instead  of  34.095,  as 
found. 

No.  57.  Nitre  earth;  labeled  "average  nitre-earth,  from  J.  T.  Thomp- 
son's nitre-cave  on  Cave  creek,  Newton  county." 

Time  did  not,  at  present,  permit  more  than  a  qualitative  examination 
of  the  watery  extract  of  this  earth.  It  was  found  to  contain: 

A  large  amount  of  sulphate  of  lime; 
Nitric  acid; 
Magnesia; 
Potassa; 

Chlorine,  and  a  very  small  quantity  of 
Phosphoric  acid. 

As  soon  as  circumstances  allow,  I  shall  report  a  complete  analysis  of 
this  earth. 


186  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


METHODS    OF    ANALYSIS. 


In  the  following  pages,  I  propose  giving1  a  short  exposition  of  the 
methods  employed  in  the  analysis  of  the  ores  and  rocks  described  in  this 
Report;  not  for  the  purpose  of  serving  as  a  guide  to  those  engaged  in 
similar  investigations,  but  merely  to  furnish  those  who  are  able  to  judge 
with  a  scale,  by  which  to  measure  the  reliability  of  the  results.  For  this 
reason,  I  shall  forbear  entering  into  details,  and  confine  myself  to  giving 
a  general  outline. 

SMITHSONITE, 

Impurities:  insoluble  silicates;  iron;  alumina,  lime;  magnesia. 

I.  The  pulverized  mineral  is  treated  with  hydrochloric  acid,  the  solution 
evaporated   to  dryness  over  a  water-bath,  residue   treated  with   dilute 
hydrochloric  acid,  and  insoluble  silicates  collected  on  filter. 

II.  The   filtrate   is    oxidized   with   nitric    acid,    excess    of  acid   partly 
removed  by  evaporation,  solution  nearly  neutralized  with  carbonate   of 
soda,  then  iron  and  alumina  precipitated  with  carbonate  of  baryta;  pre- 
cipitate collected  on  filter,  dissolved  in  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  baryta 
removed   by   sulphuric    acid,   and   iron    and    alumina   precipitated   with 
ammonia;  the  ignited  and  weighed  precipitate  is  dissolved  in  hydrochloric 
acid,  the  solution  reduced  with  metallic  zinc,   and  the  iron  determined 
volumetrically  with  chamaBlon  mineral. 

III.  The  filtrate  from  the  treatment  with  carbonate  of  baryta  is  precipi- 
tated with  sulphuric  acid,  to  remove  baryta,  the  solution  neutralized  with 
ammonia,  and  precipitated  with  sulphhydrate   of  ammonia;  liquid  with 
precipitate  allowed  to  rest  (in  a  well-stoppered  bottle)  for  about  24  hours, 
sulphuret  of  zinc  collected  on  filter,  washed  with  water  containing  sulph- 
hydrate of  ammonia,  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid,  and  precipitated  with 
a  hot  solution  of  carbonate  of  soda  (from  the  washings,  traces  of  zinc 


OF    ARKANSAS. 


removed  by  sulphhydrate  of  ammonia);  the  carbonate  of  zinc  washed  with 
hot  water,  and  ignited. 

IV.  The  filtrate  from  the  sulphuret  of  zinc  is  acidified  with  hydrochloric 
acid,  the  sulphur  separated  by  filtration,  the  lime  precipitated  with  oxalate 
of  ammonia,  and  in  the  filtrate  the  magnesia  determined  as  phosphate  of 
magnesia-ammonia. 

For  practical  purposes  it  is  unnecessary  to  ascertain  the  relative  quan- 
tities of  all  the  different  impurities,  and  the  following  method,  which  was 
employed  in  the  analysis  of  Nos.  4,  6,  and  7,  and  which  recommends 
itself  by  great  simplicity,  may  be  advantageously  followed: 

I.  The  mineral  is  ignited,  and  the  amount  of  carbonic  acid  and  water 
ascertained  by  the  loss  in  weight. 

II.  The  ignited  substance  is  digested  in  a  beaker,  covered  with  a  watch- 
glass,  with  a  mixture  of  ammonia  and  carbonate  of  ammonia,  the  residue 
collected   on  a  filter,  ignited,  and  weighed.     The   difference  in  weight 
expresses  the  amount  of  oxide  of  zinc  extracted. 

III.  The  residue  consists  of  silica,  alumina,  iron,  lime,  and  magnesia, 
and  also  contains  silicate  of  zinc,  if  this  compound  was  present  in  the  ore. 
Its  presence  is  easily  detected,  by  treating  a  portion  of  the  residue  before 
the  blowpipe  on  charcoal. 

From  the  fact  that  silicate  of  zinc  is  insoluble  in  ammonia,  it  follows 
that  this  mode  of  analysis  is  not  admissible  for  ores  containing  more  than 
a  few  per  cent,  of  this  compound. 

Schwarz  (see  Mohr  "  Lchrbuch  der  Titrirmethodc,  part  1,  p.  231,  and 
part  II,  p.  74,")  recommends  to  precipitate  the  zinc  from  the  ammoniacal 
solution  (II)  by  means  of  sulphhydrate  of  ammonia,  to  treat  the  sulphuret 
of  zinc  with  sesquichloride  of  iron  which  is  thus  reduced  to  protochloride, 
and  to  determine  the  amount  of  the  latter  with  chamaBleon  mineral;  2 
equivalents  of  iron  correspond  to  1  equivalent  of  zinc.  I  have  not  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  satisfactory  results  by  means  of  this  method.  The 
reasons  for  my  failure  will  appear  from  the  following  considerations:  It  is 
of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  excess  of  sulphhydrate  of  ammonia, 
employed  in  precipitating  the  zinc,  be  thoroughly  removed  by  washing;  if 
this  is  neglected,  a  portion  of  the  sesquichloride  of  iron  will  become 
reduced  at  the  expense  of  this  compound,  and  the  amount  of  zinc,  conse- 
quently, be  found  too  high.  Now,  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  remove  the 
last  trace  of  the  precipitant  by  washing;  even  in  using  boiling  water  it 
required  nearly  two  days'  icashing,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  during  this 
time  a  perceptible  quantity  of  sulphuret  of  zinc  becomes  oxidized  and 
passes  into  the  washings  as  sulphate  of  zinc.  If  dilute  ammonia  is  used 


188  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

instead  of  boiling  water,  the  process  proceeds  still  slower,  though  the 
danger  of  loss  consequent  on  oxidation  becomes  lessened,  and  perhaps 
entirely  prevented.  At  any  rate,  the  length  of  time  required  in  effecting 
a  thorough  washing  is  a  serious  inconvenience.  I  should  mention  here 
that  I  took  the  precaution  of  allowing  the  precipitate  to  settle  before 
throwing  it  on  a  filter.  The  next  step  consists  in  placing  the  filter  with 
the  moist  precipitate  in  a  stoppered  glass  cylinder  containing  neutral 
sesquichloride  of  iron  and  dilute  sulphuric  acid  [the  addition  of  the  latter 
is  required  in  order  to  effect  a  complete  decomposition];  in  doing  so,  1 
invariably  noticed  a  strong  odor  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen;  the  escaping  gas 
does,  of  course,  not  act  on  the  sesquichloride  of  iron,  and  the  amount  of 
zinc  will  be  found,  proportionally,  too  low.  The  method,  therefore,  is 
possessed  of  two  sources  of  error,  acting  in  a  contrary  sense;  the  two 
errors  may,  perchance,  counterbalance  each  other,  and  the  result  may, 
consequently,  be  the  correct  one;  but  the  method  can  hardly  be  relied 
upon — at  least  not  as  far  as  my  experience  goes.  For  this  reason  the 
results,  thus  obtained,  have  not  been  embodied  in  the  Report. 

PSILOMELANE, 

Containing  :  water,  free  oxygen;  silica;  peroxide  of  iron,  alumina;  protox- 
ide of  manganese,  cobalt,  baryta,  and  lime. 

I.  To  determine  the  amount  of  free  oxygen,  I  used  the  method  of  Fre- 
senius  and  Will,  with  the  modification  of  Mohr;  it  combines  great   sim- 
plicity with  accuracy,  and  requires  but  little  time.     From  1.5  to  2.5  gram- 
mes of  the  dried  mineral  are  introduced  into  a  Florence  flask,  a  measured 
volume  of  normal  oxalic  acid  and  some  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  added, 
and  heated  over  a  spirit  lamp  until  the  evolution  of  gas  has  ceased;  if  the 
ore  is  decomposable  only  with  difficulty,  the  liquid  is  poured  off  from  the 
dark-colored  residue,  some   more  normal  oxalic  acid  and  sulphuric  acid 
added,  and  heated  again  until  the  residue  appears  white,  or  nearly  so;  the 
liquid  thus  obtained  is  diluted  to  500  cubic  centimeters;  100  cub.  cent,  are 
taken  out  with  a  pipette,  largely  diluted  with  water,  sulphuric  acid  added, 
and  the  excess  of  normal  oxalic    acid   determined   volumetrically  with 
charnaeleon  mineral;  the  same  process  is  repeated  with  another   100  cub. 
cent,  of  the  solution;  subtracting  the  undecomposed  normal  oxalic  acid 
from  the  amount  originally  used,  we   obtain  the  quantity  decomposed  by 
the  mineral.     1  cub.  cent,  of  normal  oxalic  acid  is  equal  to  0.008  gram- 
mes of  free  oxygen. 

II.  Water  and  oxygen  above  the  composition  Mn304  are  determined  by 
ignition. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


III.  The  mineral  is  treated  with  strong  hydrochloric  acid,  solution  evapo- 
rated to  dryness,  residue  treated  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  and  silica 
collected  on  filter. 

IV.  Filtrate  diluted  with  water,  and  baryta  precipitated  with  sulphuric 
acid. 

V.  Filtrate  nearly  neutralized  with  carbonate    of  soda,   and  iron  and 
alumina   precipitated  with  carbonate  of  baryta;  separated  as  described 
above,  in  the  analysis  of  smithsonite. 

VI.  After  removal  of  baryta  with  sulphuric  acid,  the  filtrate  is  neutral- 
ized with  ammonia  and  precipitated  with   sulphhydrate  of  ammonia  in  a 
well-closed  bottle;  the  precipitate  is  allowed  to  settle,  collected  on  a  filter, 
washed  with  water  containing  sulphhydrate  of  ammonia,  and  digested  with 
dilute  hydrochloric  acid  [the  small  quantity  of  sulphuret  of  cobalt  which 
remains  undissolved  is  collected  on  a  filter  and  strongly  ignited];  from  the 

^olution  the  manganese  is  precipitated  with  carbonate  of  soda,  and  the 
precipitate  ignited  until  the  weight  remains  constant. 

VII.  In  the  filtrate  from  the  sulphurets,  the  lime  is  determined  as  usual. 


L  I  M  O  N  I  T  E , 

Containing :  Insoluble  silicates;  water;  sesquioxides  of  iron  and  manga- 
nese, alumina;  phosphoric  acid;  lime,  and  magnesia. 

I.  Water  determined  by  ignition. 

II.  The  pulverized  mineral  is  boiled  with  strong  hydrochloric  acid  until 
the  residue  appears  colorless;  the  whole  evaporated  to  dryness;  the  dry  mass 
treated  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  and  insoluble  silicates  collected  on 
filter. 

III.  The  filtrate  is  diluted  to  250  cub.  cent.;  of  these 

50  cub.  cent,  are  used  for  the  determination  of  iron  by  means  of  chamseleon 
mineral. 

50  or  100  cub.  cent,  are  used  for  the  determination  of  phosphoric  acid  by 
means  of  molybdate  of  ammonia. 

100  cub.  cent,  are  nearly  neutralized  with  carbonate  of  soda,  acetate  of 
soda  added  and  heated  to  ebullition  until  the  liquid  appears  colorless;  the 
precipitate  is  collected  on  a  filter,  washed,  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid, 
and  reprecipated  with  ammonia;  it  contains  all  the  iron,  alumina,  and 
phosphoric  acid;  the  filtrate  is  treated  as  in  IV. 

IV.  To  the  filtrate  some  hypochlorite  of  soda  is  added,  and   enough 
acetic  acid  to  produce  acid  reaction,  and  allowed  to  rest  for  24  hours;  the 
peroxide  of  manganese  is  collected  on  a  filter,  and  ignited  [if  the  precipi- 


190  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

tate  is  considerable,  it  has  to  be  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid  and  precipi- 
tated with  carbonate  of  soda]. 

V.  To  the  filtrate  some  hydrochloric  acid  is  added,  and  heat  applied  until 
the  odors  of  chlorine  and  acetic  acid  have  disappeared;  the  lime  is  then 
precipitated  with  oxalate  of  ammonia,  and  from  the  filtrate  the  magnesia 
with  phosphate  of  soda. 


Containing:  Insoluble  silicates;  carbonates  of  lime,  and  magnesia;  sesqui- 
oxide  of  iron  with  trace  of  manganese;  alumina,  potassa. 

I.  The  mineral  is  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid,  solution  evaposated  to 
dryness,  residue  treated  with  water  acidified  with  hydrochloric  acid,  and 
insoluble  silicates  and  silica  collected  on  filter. 

II.  To  the  filtrate  a  little  chlorine  water  is  added,  to  oxidize  the  man- 
ganese, then  precipitated  with   ammonia;  the  precipitate,  containing*all 
the  iron,  alumina,  and  manganese,  and  a  little  lime  and  magnesia,  is  re- 
dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid  and  again  treated  as  above.     This  precipi- 
tate is  free  from  the  alkaline  earths.     It  is  dissolved  in  hydrochloric  acid 
and  the  solution  divided  into  2  equal  portions: 

In  the  first  portion  iron  plus  alumina  are  determined  by  ammonia; 

In  the  second  portion  the  iron  alone  is  determined  by  chamaeleon  mineral. 

III.  The  two  filtrates,  and  washings,  are  united,  and  about  £th  of  the 
liquid  used  for  the  determination  of  lime  by  oxalate  of  ammonia,  and  that 
of  magnesia  by  phosphate  of  soda. 

IV.  For  the   determination  of  the  alkali  a  fresh  portion  of  the  mineral 
is  treated  with  repeated  portions  of  boiling  acetic  acid;  the  filtrates  are 
united,  evaporated,  transferred  to  a  platina  capsule,  and  ignited  until  the 
empyreumatic  odor  of  decomposing  acetic  acid  disappears;  the  residue  is 
exhausted  with  boiling  water,  the  liquid  mixed  with  some  oxalic    acid, 
evaporated  to  dryness,  ignited;  the  residue  is  again  treated  with  boiling 
water:  the  filtrate  contains  the  potassa  as  carbonate;  it  is  converted  into 
chloride,  ignited  and  \veighed. 

DETERMINATION    OF    N  I  T  III  C    ACID. 

To  ascertain  the  quantity  of  nitric  acid  in  the  nitre  earths  subjected  to 
analysis,  I  proceeded  as  follows: 

100  grammes  of  the  earth  are  pulverized,  and  digested  over  the  water- 
bath  with  repeatedly  renewed  portions  of  distilled  water  until  all  the 
soluble  constituents  of  the  earth  are  taken  up  by  this  liquid.  The  solution 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


191 


thus  obtained  is  reduced  to  a  small  volume  by  evaporation,  and  an  aliquot 
part  of  the  concentrated  liquid  evaporated  to  a  syrupy  consistency  in  a 
porcelain  crucible,  over  a  water-bath.  [It  is  not  possible  to  evaporate  the 
watery  extract  to  dryness  by  means  of  the  water-bath;  the  extract  assumes 
the  consistency  and  appearance  of  honey,  without  solidifying]. 

Some  pure,  soft  iron-wire  is  then  dissolved  in  strong  hydrochloric  acid, 
with  the  necessary  precautions  for  the  exclusion  of  atmospheric  air,  and 
the  crucible  containing  the  extract  thrown  into  the  solution  of  protochloride 
of  iron;  heat  is  applied  to  expel  the  nitric  oxide,  the  liquid  diluted  with 
water,  and  the  amount  of  unoxidized  protoxide  of  iron  determined  by 
chamseleon  mineral. 

GALENA. 

In  the  different  specimens  of  galena  which  have  been  analyzed,  the 
amount  of  lead  was  not  directly  determined;  but  since  it  was  proved  by 
the  qualitative  examination  of  these  specimens,  that  no  other  impurities, 
besides  iron  and  silver,  were  present,  the  amount  of  lead  can  easily  be 
ascertained  by  subtracting  from  100  the  sum  of  these  impurities  plus  the 
amount  of  sulphur. 

For  the  determination  of  the  silver,  the  following  method  was  pursued: 
50  grammes  of  the  finely  pulverized  ore  are  intimately  mixed  with  50 
grammes  of  carbonate  of  potassa,  25  grammes  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  10 
grammes  of  metallic  iron  (small  iron  tacks);  the  mixture  is  placed  in  an 
iron  crucible,  covered  with  a  layer  of  borax,  the  crucible  closed  with  an 
iron  lid,  and  then  exposed  to  a  bright  red  heat  until  the  mass  flows  quietly. 
The  contents  of  the  crucible  are  then  poured  into  a  conical  iron  mould, 
when  the  metallic  lead  falls  to  the  bottom,  forming  a  well-defined  metal- 
lic button  which  is  easily  separated  from  the  slag  by  a  blow  with  a  ham- 
mer. The  weight  of  the  button  of  lead  varied  from  39  to  40  grammes. 
Of  the  metal  thus  obtained,  about  5  grammes  are  subjected  to  cupellation, 
and  the  button  of  silver  is  weighed  on  a  very  delicate  balance. 

The  iron  was  determined  in  the  following  manner:  The  finely  pulverized 
galena  is  oxidized  with  strong  nitric  acid;  to  the  mass  a  few  drops  of  con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid  are  added,  and  heat  applied  until  the  excess  of 
nitric  acid  is  completely  removed.  The  dry  mass  is  treated  with  water, 
tie  insoluble  sulphate  of  lead  collected  on  a  filter,  and  washed  with  dilute 
sulphuric  acid.  To  the  filtrate  a  piece  of  metallic  zinc  is  added,  in  order 
to  reduce  the  sesquioxide  of-  iron  to  protoxide,  and  the  amount  of  the  lat- 
ter determined  by  chamscleon  mineral. 


OF    A 


GEOLOGICAL  EECONNOISSANCE 


OF  A  PART  OF  THE  STATE  OF 


MADE    DURING    THE    YEARS    1857    AND    1858 


BY 


EDWAJFfcD    T.    COX, 


ASSISTANT    GEOLOGIST. 


13 


INTRODUCTORY   LETTER. 


OFFICE  OF  THE  ARKANSAS  SURVEY, 
New  Harmony,  Indiana.  October  15th,  1858.$ 

DAVID  DALE  OWEN,  M.  D. — 

Dear  Sir:  I  herewith  submit  my  Report  of  a  Geological  Reeono*is- 
sance,  made  in  the  State  of  Arkansas,  during  the  fall  of  1857,  and  summer 
of  1858;  prosecuted  in  accordance  with  instructions  received  from  you,  at 
different  times,  while  progressing  with  the  survey. 

Allow  me,  also,  to  acknowledge  here,  the  many  obligations  I  owe  to 
you  for  valuable  counsel  and  aid,  while  carrying  forward  the  survey.  und«r 
your  direction. 

Most  respectfully  yours, 

E.  T.  COX. 


INSTRUCTIONS. 


The  following  are  instructions  received,  on  different  occasions,  from  Dr. 
D.  D.  OWEN,  Principal  Geologist  of  the  State  of  Arkansas: 

Instructions,  dated  October,  1857. 

"  After  separating  from  corps  No.  1,  you  will  proceed  by  the  most 
feasible  route  between  Cache  and  Black  rivers,  through  the  north  and 
north-west  part  of  Greene,  south-east  part  of  Randolph,  the  eastern  part 
of  Lawrence,  and  the  north  part  of  Jackson  county,  and  make  a  general 
geological  reconnoissance  of  those  portions  of  the  State  of  Arkansas. 

You  will  keep  your  camp  on  some  main  route,  and  make  lateral  excur- 
sions to  any  points  of  interest  between  Black  river  and  the  eastern  branch 
of  Cache  river. 

Along  the  line  of  your  route,  you  will  endeavor  to  see  the  gentlemen 
whose  names  are  in  the  list  herewith  furnished,  under  the  head  of  the 
counties  through  which  you  pass,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  information 
in  regard  to  localities  considered  of  special  interest,  and  make  a  geologi- 
cal exploration  of  those  which  may  be  considered  important. 

You  will,  also,  make  inquiries  in  regard  to  sections  pof  rocks  exposed 
on  Black  and  Cache  rivers,  and  examine  the  same,  in  order  to  obtain  a 
clue  to  the  formations  of  that  part  of  Arkansas. 

I  would  particularly  call  your  attention  to  a  locality  in  Randolph  county, 
on  Mr.  McLaires'  land,  supposed  to  contain  iron;  also,  to  a  locality  near 
Pocahontas,  in  the  same  county,  which  is,  perhaps,  an  extension  of  the 
same  bed;  also,  to  deposits  of  black  oxide  of  manganese,  supposed  to 
exist  in  some  of  the  northern  counties. 

In  your  descent  of  the  valleys  of  Black  and  Cache  rivers,  you  will 


198  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

extend  your  observations  as  far  south  as  Jacksonport.  If  you  arrive  at 
this  place  before  corps  No.  1,  you  will  encamp  at  some  convenient  point, 
in  the  vicinity,  and  wait  for  further  instructions;  you  will,  however,  occupy 
the  time,  while  awaiting  my  arrival,  in  making  explorations  in  the  vicinity 
of  Jacksonport." 

Instructions  received  at  Jacksonport,  Jackson  county,  Ark.,  Nov.  17th,  1857. 

"  After  crossing  Black  river,  you  will  proceed  to  the  zinc  mines,  situated 
on  Reed's  creek,  in  the  southern  part  of  Lawrence  county,  and  make  a 
reconnoissance  of  that  part  of  the  country  lying  between  Strawberry  and 
Black  rivers,  as  far  north  as  township  17.  You  will  proceed  thence  to 
make  a  reconnoissance  of  the  country  lying  between  Strawberry  and 
Spring  rivers,  taking  a  north-west  course  towards  Salem,  in  Fulton  county, 
as  far  north  as  township  19  or  20.  You  will  then  explore  Fulton  county 
south  of  that  line,  and  continue  west,  through  the  ranges  of  township  19; 
cross  White  river,  and  encamp  at  some  suitable  point  near  Yellville, 
where  you  will  await  my  arrival  and  further  instructions." 

Instructions,  dated  December   4th,  1857. 

"  After  examining  the  salt-petre  cave,  situated  in  the  Horseshoe  bend  of 
White  river,  in  Marion  count}',  and  collecting  samples  of  the  earth  for 
chemical  analysis,  you  will  recross  White  river,  and  examine  that  portion 
of  Fulton  county  south  of  your  previous  route,  and  pass  through  Cross- 
plains.  Thence  you  will  proceed  by  '  Evening  Shade,'  in  the  south-west 
corner  of  Lawrence  county,  to  Cury  creek,  in  Independence  county,  and 
examine  the  prospect  for  lead  ore  in  that  county.  After  completing  your 
observations  in  the  northern  and  eastern  part  of  Independence  county, 
you  will  cross  Black  river  and  meet  me  at  Jacksonport." 

Instructions,  dated  May  12th+1858. 

"  During  the  time  I  shall  be  absent  in  Pulaski  and  Hot  Spring  counties, 
you  will  examine  the  north-western  tier  of  townships,  not  previously 
explored,  in  Randolph  county,  and  visit  Rice's  spring  on  the  waters  of 
Muddy  creek,  take  its  temperature,  and  make  a  qualitative  chemical 
examination  of  it  at  the  fountain  head;  you  will  investigate,  also,  what- 
ever may  be  of  interest  in  that  vicinity. 

From  Randolph  county,  you  will  proceed  through  Lawrence  county  to 
Batesville,  in  Independence  county,  and  examine  the  geological  formation 
on  the  north  side  of  White  river,  between  that  place  and  the  warehouse 
below  the  mouth  of  Laferty  creek;  and  especially  ascertain  whether  there 


OF  ARKANSAS.  199 


is  any  evidence  of  the  existence  of  an  outburst  of  basalt,  or  other  igneous 
rocks,  amongst  the  subcarboniferous  group  in  that  vicinity.  You  will 
examine,  also,  the  fossiliferous  shale  below  the  town  of  Batesville. 

The  manganese  locality,  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  LafFerty 
creek,  was  already  examined,  last  season,  by  corps  No.  1;  but,  as  it  is 
desirable  to  obtain  a  greater  variety  of  the  ores  than  was  then  collected, 
you  will  either  obtain  an  additional  supply  from  Dr.  Smith,  former  super- 
intendent of  the  mines,  who  lives  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood,  or  at 
the  mines.  Endeavor,  especially,  to  ascertain  whether  any  of  the  softer 
and  blacker  varieties  of  this  ore  occur,  and  have  been  taken  out;  such  as 
are  known  to  mineralogists  under  the  name  of  "  pyrolusite,"  and  "  manga- 
nite,"  which  are  more  valuable  than  the  hard,  compact  "  psilomelane"  ore, 
which  was  found  most  abundant  in  the  rubbish  of  the  mine  last  year. 

You  will  write  to  me  from  Batesville,  and  let  me  know  when  you  will 
be  in  Van  Buren  county,  and  at  what  place  it  will  be  most  convenient  for 
us  to  meet,  either  in  that  county  or  White  county. 

From  Independence  county,  you  Mill  cross  over  White  river,  into  White 
county,  and  explore  the  northern  townships  in  that  county,  as  far  south 
as  Searcy. 

In  the  counties  south  of  White  river,  you  will  especially  investigate  for 
coal,  as  the  south-west  dip  of  the  rocks  from  the  Oil-trough  ridge  and 
Shields'  bluff,  lead  to  the  inference  that  coal  may  soon  come  in  south  of 
these  localities." 

Instructions  dated  21s/  July,  1858. 

"  You  will  proceed  to  finish  the  geological  reconnoissance  of  Crawford 
county,  examining  those  localities  in  the  south-east  part  not  yet  explored; 
especially  the  coal  on  Frog  bayou,  and  the  sulphur  spring  on  the  property 
of  Mr.  Herd. 

From  Crawford  county  pass  into  Franklin,  and  examine  the  state  salt 
spring,  on  Mulberry  creek,  exploring,  also,  the  geological  formations  on 
that  stream;  thence  pass  down  towards  Ozark,  and  take  the  most  feasible 
route  to  examine  the  coal  region,  on  the  waters  of  Horsehead  creek,  in 
Johnson  county,  and  the  geological  position  of  the  rocks,  in  the  northern 
part  of  that  county. 

As  I,  myself,  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  examining  the  Spadra  coal,  it 
Mill  not  be  necessary  for  you  to  go  to  that  locality  in  this  county. 

In  your  explorations  of  Pope  county,  I  would  especially  direct  your 
attention  to  a  locality  near  the  Dwight  Old  Mission,  Miiere  the  so-called 
"  lapis  lazuli "  was  said  to  have  been  found  by  Mr.  Washburn.  Your  survey 
in  the  middle,  northern,  and  eastern  part  of  this  county,  will  be  best  regu- 


•>00  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

lated  after  you  have  learnt  more  of  the  other  localities  of  interest.  When 
in  Conway  county,  examine  the  state  salt  spring.  There  are  also  several 
other  localities  of  interest  in  this  county,  on  the  Cadron,  and,  perhaps 
also,  on  Cedar  creek,  a  branch  of  that  stream,  which  may  require  your 
attention.  When  in  the  north-east  part  of  this  county,  you.  will  pass  over 
a  few  miles  into  White  county,  and  examine  a  locality  of  coal,  of  which 
I  have  previously  given  you  a  note  and  directions  how  to  find  it.  The 
rest  of  this  county  has  already  been  explored. 

Ascertain  where  the  coal  measures  of  Conway  county  terminate,  and 
the  metamorphic  slate  formation  of  Pulaski  county  commences,  in  your 
easterly  route  into  Pulaski.  It  is,  probably,  somewhere  near  Palarm  bayou. 
Some  gold  ore  is  said  to  have  been  found  somewhere  near  that  stream. 

One  of  the  most  important  localities  to  be  examined  in  Pulaski.  is  the 
Kellogg  mine  of  argentiferous  galena,  some  ten  miles  north  of  Little 
Rock,  on  Kellogg's  creek. 

As  I  have  been  over  the  road  from  Little  Rock  to  Oakland  Grove,  in 
White  county,  it  will  not  be  necessary  for  you  to  pass  over  that  ground 
again  at  present,  unless  you  hear  of  something  special  that  may  require 
your  attention. 

I  know  of  nothing  particular  at  present  to  which  I  can  direct  your 
attention,  while  passing  through  Prairie  county  into  Monroe,  where  your 
geological  reconnoissance  will  terminate  for  this  season;  but  you  will  take 
every  opportunity  to  inquire,  before  you  enter  a  county,  what  there  may 
be  in  it  of  particular  geological  interest,  and  direct  your  course  accord- 
ingly. 

In  each  county  which  you.  pass  through,  you  will  collect  sets  of  charac- 
teristic soils,  upon  the  same  plan  as  heretofore  followed  b*y  the  geological 
corps  of  Arkansas. 

D.  D.  OWEN,  M.  D., 

Geologist  of  Ai-kansas." 


REPORT 


OIIEENE    COUNTY. 

As  you  had  examined,  personally,  the  country  adjacent  to  the  Chalk 
bluff,  before  we  separated  on  our  respective  routes,  it  will  be  unnecessary 
for  me  to  make  any  report  on  that  locality. 

The  northern  part  of  Greene  county,  included  within  my  instructions, 
belongs  to  the  quaternary  and  alluvial  period.  The  quaternary  deposits 
observed,  consist  of  sands,  gravel  and  potter's  clay;  these  occupy  the 
highlands,  extending  from  the  Chalk  bluff,  on  the  St.  Francis  river,  through 
the  greater  part  of  range  seven.  They  are  spread  over  an  area  of  eight 
or  ten  miles  in  width;  and  their  vertical  thickness  is  from  one  hundred  to 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

The  alluvium  forms  the  bottom  lands  of  the  St.  Francis,  Cache,  and 
Black  rivers. 

A  locality  in  section  36?,  township  21  north,  range  7  east,  one  and  a 
half  miles  from  Mr.  James  W.  Payne's,  has  been  rendered  notorious  on 
account  of  a  phenomenon,  which  induced  Mr.  Payne  and  others,  to  believe 
that  gold  or  other  precious  metals  might  be  found  there.  The  account 
given  is  as  follows:  When  Mr.  Payne  was  out  hunting  about  two  years 
ago,  he  heard  a  slight  noise  at  his  feet,  and  on  looking  down  saw  the  earth 
open  to  the  width  of  three  or  four  inches;  being  reminded  of  the  memo- 
rable New  Madrid  earthquake,  which  sunk  a  large  district  of  land  in  this 
county,  this  frightful  phenomenon,  of  course,  alarmed  him,  and  he  left, 
supposing  the  hill  was  about  to  be  engulfed.  After  a  few  days,  finding 
that  no  serious  catastrophe  had  taken  place,  he  returned  to  view  the  con- 
dition of  things.  On  examining  the  ground,  he  became  possessed  of  the 
idea  that  the  opening  of  the  earth  was  a  revelation,  to  notify  him  of  the 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


existence  of  a  vein  of  gold  below.  In  this  belief  he  was  further  strength- 
ened by  the  fact  of  the  tops  of  the  trees,  in  the  vicinity,  being  dead.  Ac- 
cordingly, with  some  of  his  neighbors,  he  went  to  work,  and  sunk  three 
pits,  one  of  which  was  thirty  feet  deep.  Unfortunately,  when  I  visited 
the  place,  these  pits  had  become  filled  up  with  the  rubbish  and  washings 
from  the  hill  above. 

After  the  examination  of  the  material  thrown  from  these  pits,  and  aided 
by  the  memory  of  Mr.  Payne,  I  was  enabled  to  make  out  the  following 
succession  in  the  deposits: 

(a)  Slope   above  the  shaft,  composed  of  waterworn  hornstone 

and  chert  gravel,  and  sand,  which  are  sometimes  formed 

into  a  ferruginous  conglomerate  of  small  extent  .........     30  feet. 

(b)  Light  colored  plastic  clay,  with  small,  pure,  transparent,  len- 

ticular crystals    of  selenite    imbedded  ..............  10  to  15    " 

(c)  Variegated  plastic  clay,  alternating  with  beds  of  clay,  in  all 

about?  ........................  ......................    15    " 

Bottom  of  the  shaft  .....................................     0    " 

60    " 

The  deposits  passed  through  in  this  shaft,  are  not  such  as  to  afford  any 
hope  of  finding  gold,  or  other  precious  metals.  The  labors  of  Mr.  Payne 
have  disclosed,  however,  in  the  member  marked  (i),  of  the  above  section, 
a  material  which  will  undoubtedly  prove  to  be  a  valuable  fertilizer  of 
land,  from  the  large  amount  of  selenite  (a  transparent  variety  of  gypsum) 
which  it  contains.  Judging  from  its  external  appearance,  the  selenite 
forms  about  one-third  of  the  whole  mass  composing  this  member.  An 
earth,  so  rich  in  this  ingredient,  and  so  easy  of  access,  must  be  of  great 
value  to  the  farming  community. 

The  lower  bed  reached,  (c),  is  a  good  potter's  clay,  which,  by  a  proper 
selection,  and  washing,  will  be  applicable  for  the  manufacture  of  the 
coarser  kinds  of  porcelain. 

The  yellow  member  of  this  bed,  which  is  sometimes  several  feet  thick, 
is  a  variety  of  yellow  ochre  that  has  commercial  value  as  a  cheap  paint, 
used  for  the  coarser  kinds  of  work. 

The  evidence  of  the  cracking  of  the  earth,  at  this  locality,  is  still  very 
apparent;  and  it  is  probable  that  such  cracks  are  not  uncommon,  and 
may  have  favored  the  formation  of  the  selenite,  by  giving  egress  to  pent- 
up  sulphurous  acid  or  sulphuretted  hydrogen  gases,  which,  by  oxidation, 
have  been  converted  into  sulphuric  acid;  this,  combining  with  the  lime 
present  in  some  of  the  quaternary  deposits,  has  formed  the  sulphate  of 
lime,  (selenite).  These  cracks  may  have  originated,  in  part,  from  the 


OF    ARKANSAS.  2Q3 


shrinking  of  the  underlying  argillaceous  strata;  and  in  part,  from  the 
slumbering  effects  of  former  earthquake  action. 

The  other  mystery  which  aided  in  drawing  attention  to  this  locality,  the 
decay  of  the  tops  of  the  trees,  may  be  explained  from  the  fact,  that  the 
soil  has  been  washed  away  from  their  base  into  these  cracks,  and  they  are 
left  rooted  merely  in  gravel.  Thus  deprived  of  sufficient  nourishment, 
the  languid  sap  fails  to  reach  the  top,  and 'the  upper  branches  naturally 
decay  first. 

Where  the  hills  are  of  sufficient  height,  a  bed  of  waterworn  horn- 
stone  and  chert-gravel  is  superimposed  on  the  quaternary  sand  and  clay. 
The  pebbles  are  from  one  to  three  inches  in  diameter;  occasionally  in 
some  of  these  are  found  fragments  of  carboniferous  fossils. 

Beneath  this  gravel  bed,  a  ferruginous  conglomerate,  or  pudding  stone, 
sometimes  occurs  in  sheets  of  two  or  more  inches  in  thickness.  This  is 
the  only  instance  of  finding  a  hard  cemented  rock  in  any  portion  of 
Greene  county,  within  the  scope  of  my  observation. 

In  the  stratum  of  potter's  clay  (c)  at  Mr.  Payne's  shaft,  were  found  a 
few  specimens  of  the  leaves  of  oaks  (qucrcus),  and  willow  (salix),  which 
belong  undoubtedly  to  species  now  living.  No  other  organic  remains 
were  observed;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  good  exposures  of  this  bed 
were  accessible,  some  associate  land  or  fresh-water  shells  might  be  dis- 
covered. 

Mineral  and  Agricultural  Resources. 

Though  no  metallic  ores  proper  have  yet  been  found  in  the  northern 
part  of  Greene  county,  I  consider  the  selenite  bed  (b)  near  Mr.  Payne's  of 
great  importance,  in  an  agricultural  point  of  view;  and  it  may  hereafter 
be  the  source  of  no  inconsiderable  revenue  to  the  county.  It  occurs  in 
beautiful,  small,  transparent  crystals,  abundantly  distributed  through  the 
clay,  which  itself  contains  soda,  potash,  and  perhaps,  phosphates  and 
nitrates,  forming  a  combination  which  will  be  applicable  as  a  mineral 
fertilizer  to  a  great  variety  of  soils. 

The  underlying  stratum  (c)  will  afford  a  good,  cheap,  red,  as  well  as 
yellow  paint;  for,  by  simple  burning,  the  yellow  ochre  is  converted  into  a 
red  ochre;  this  latter  can  be  used  as  a  dyestuff  for  coarse  cloth  and 
yarn. 

Potter's  clay  is  in  great  abundance,  and  of  excellent  quality  for  com- 
mon ware. 

In  the  absence  of  more  durable  rocks,  the  ferruginous  conglomerate 
may  be  used  for  the  underpining  of  houses,  building  chimneys  and  walling 
up  wells. 


204  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


The  alluvial  bottoms,  above  overflow  of  the  rivers  and  creeks,  are  very 
productive  and  easily  cultivated.  The  -elevated  land  between  St.  Francis 
and  Cache  rivers,  known  by  the  name  of  Crowley's  ridge,  is  somewhat 
broken,  but  highly  susceptible  of  cultivation,  producing  all  kinds  of  grain; 
it  is  particularly  noted  for  its  adaptation  to  the  growth  of  wheat.  Mr.  A. 
Muckelroy,  who  lives  on  section  19,  township  21  north,  range  8  east, 
informed  me  that  he  had  raised  six  consecutive  crops  of  wheat  on  his 
land  without  any  apparent  diminution  of  fertility;  in  fact,  all  the  farmers 
with  whom  I  conversed,  spoke  in  great  praise  of  its  wheat  growing  pro- 
perties; and  when  by  continued  cultivation  it  may  require  renovation, 
there  lies  close  at  hand,  in  the  gypsiferous  clays,  a  supply  of  mineral  ma- 
nure that  will  keep  it  in  good  heart. 

The  settlers  in  this  part  of  Greene  county,  are  just  beginning  to  turn 
their  attention  to  agriculture;  heretofore,  the  great  abundance  of  game 
seduced  them  into  a  thriftless  way  of  living;  depending  almost  exclu- 
sively, for  a  livelihood,  on  the  sale  of  furs  and  peltries,  which  constitute, 
at  all  times,  a  critical  and  uncertain  means  of  support.  As  game  is  now 
becoming  scarce,  they  are  compelled  to  devote  their  time  to  agriculture, 
or  move  farther  west,  where  wild  animals  are  more  numerous. 

The  projected  railroad,  from  Fulton,  in  Texas,  to  Cairo,  at  the  junction 
of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  runs  through  township  21,  range  6,  and 
if  completed,  will  prove  of  incalculable  advantage  to  a  region  of  country 
rich  in  fertile  lands;  as  the  want  of  a  ready  market  for  the  surplus  pro- 
duce of  the  country,  is  one  of  the  greatest  drawbacks  to  its  progress. 

A  plank  road  from  the  Chalk  bluff,  to  Point  Pleasant,  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  twelve  miles  below  New  Madrid,  is  under  construction  and  will  soon 
be  completed. 

This  road  will  prove  highly  beneficial  to  Greene  county,  and  is  the  best 
route  for  emigrants  coming  from  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  the  Carol inas, 
who  wish  to  locate  in  the  northern  part  of  Arkansas.  The  emigration  to 
and  through  Greene  county,  during  the  fall  and  winter  of  1857,  was  very 
great;  and  as  the  people  of  this  and  the  adjoining  county  of  Randolph, 
receive,  from  this  emigration,  no  small  amount  of  money,  in  exchange  for 
produce,  it  is  to  their  interest  to  improve  the  road  from  the  Chalk  bluff  to 
Pocahontas,  particularly  the  crossing  of  Cache  river,  which  is  in  a  wretch- 
edly bad  condition,  and  could  be  made  passable  at  very  little  cost.  In  at- 
tempting to  cross  this  river,  our  mules  mired  down  and  came  very  near  being 
drowned  in  trying  to  extricate  themselves  from  the  deep  mud.  We  were 
compelled  to  obtain  assistance,  and  after  disengaging  the  team  had  to  get 
the  wagon  out  by  hand. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  2Q5 


The  principal  growth  of  timber  on  the  highland  is  large  white,  black, 
and  red  oaks,  mockernut  hickory,  (commonly  called  black  hickory,)  and  a 
few  shell-bark  hickories.  On  the  alluvial  lands  of  Cache  river,  are  found, 
in  addition  to  the  above,  large  poplar,  black  and  sweet  gums,  and  in  the 
sloughs,  cypress. 


RANDOLPH   COUNTY. 

The  portion  of  Randolph  county,  east  of  Black  river,  is  covered  with 
an  alluvial  deposit,  elevated  but  a  few  feet  above  high  water;  and,  with 
the  exception  of  a  low  ridge,  which  divides  the  waters  of  Cache  from 
those  of  Black  river,  it  is  much  cut  up  by  sloughs  and  lakes.  Immedi- 
ately on  the  west  bank  of  Black  river,  at  Pocahontas,  magnesian  lime- 
stones of  the  lower  Silurian  period  are  seen  at  the  water's  edge,  and  ex- 
tend up  into  the  highest  ridges,  where  they  are  capped  by  black  and 
orange-colored  sandstone  and  waterworn  gravel  of  the  quaternary 
period.  The  country  is  generally  broken,  with  hills  from  one  to  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  in  height,  covered  on  their  slopes  with  chert,  which  has 
weathered  out  of  the  limestone. 

On  the  property  of  Mr.  Samuel  McLaire,  one  and  a  half  miles  from 
Pocahontas,  is  a  deposit  of  black  ferruginous  sandstone,  exposed  to  the 
thickness  of  (23)  twenty-three  feet,  and  forming  the  top  of  what  is  con- 
sidered to  be  the  highest  ridge  in  the  county.  It  is  frequently  fluted,  and 
resembles  in  its  outward  appearance  and  fracture,  a  rough  variety  of  pig 
iron,*  At  some  localities  this  rock  is  of  a  dark  orange-color,  friable,  and 
readily  decomposing  into  coarse-grained  sand.  In  its  lithological  charac- 
ter, it  resembles  very  much  the  indurated  and  cemented  portions  of  the 
orange-sand  formation  of  Mississippi  and  Alabama.  Indeed  it  is  so  com- 
plete a  counterpart,  that  when  specimens  were  exhibited  to  Dr.  E.  H. 
Hilgard,  Geologist  of  Mississippi,  he  at  once  recognized  the  identity  with 
those  he  had  himself  collected  in  the  State  of  Mississippi. 

The  place  of  this  sandstone  is  probably  in  Greene  county,  below  the 
quaternary  clay,  which,  however,  I  did  not  see  in  Randolph  county;  it 
appears  to  rest  immediately  on  the  lower  silurian  rocks. 

The  following  approximate  section  exhibits  the  position  of  the  rocks  in 
this  county,  extending  from  the  bed  of  Black  river  to  the  waterworn  qua- 
ternary gravel  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  ridges: 

*This  is  probably  the  locality  referred  to  in  my  instructions. 


206  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

(a)  Waterworn  gravel 1  to  10  feet. 

(b)  Rough,    black,    fluted    sandstone,    equivalent    to    the 

"  orange  sand  formation  "  of  Mississippi 23     " 

(c)  Place  of  iron  ore  deposit 1  to     4     " 

(d)  White    cherty   limestone;  chert  in  large   masses,  very 

brittle   and  full  of  cracks 30  to  80     " 

(e)  Light-gray  limestone,  mottled  with  flesh-colored  spar, 

passing  down  into  a  light-colored  calciferous  sand- 
rock 66     " 

(/)  Hard  compact  cherty  magnesian  limestone,  in  the  bed 
of  Black  and  Eleven  Point  rivers,  as  seen  at  Imbo- 
boden's  ferry 80  " 


253  feet. 

The  grayish-buff,  hard,  and  close  textured  magnesiam  limestone  (/.) 
forms  the  bed  of  Black  river,  at  Pocahontas,  and  Eleven  Point  river,  at 
Mr.  J.  H.  Imboden's.  Its  thickness  could  not  be  seen  at  Pocahontas,  but 
on  Eleven  Point  river  it  is  exposed  to  the  thickness  of  eighty  feet  or  more. 
(e.)  is  also  best  seen  on  Eleven  Point  river.  At  its  base,  it  is  a  light-gray, 
calciferous  sand-rock,  with  a  sharp  grit,  and  passes  upward  into  a  gray 
limestone,  mottled  with  flesh-colored  spar,  (d.)  is  a  rough  weathering 
magnesian  limestone,  full  of  whitish  chert  segregated  in  large  masses 
which  are  filled  with  cracks,  and  readily  break  into  small  pieces.  This 
member  has  a  variable  thickness  of  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  feet  or 
more,  and  may  be  seen  along  the  road  from  Pocahontas  to  the  ferry  on 
Eleven  Point  river.  On  the  top  of  this  rock  is  the  place  of  the  iron  ore 
deposits  (c.)  The  iron  ore  appears  to  be  scattered  about  in  patches,  from 
one  to  four  feet  in  depth;  but  it  was  only  found  extending  over  a  limited 
area.  Though  sometimes  mixed  with  too  much  sand,  it  is  usually  of  ex- 
cellent quality,  and  belongs  to  a  variety  designated  by  mineralogists  as 
"  limonite."  It  is  usually  in  large  cellular  blocks,  but  occasionally  pre- 
sents a  globular,  and  concentric  structure. 

The  rough,  ferruginous  sandstone,  (5.)  near  Pocahontas,  possesses  a  re- 
markable, fluted  structure,  and  was  generally  supposed  to  be  manganese 
ore;  but,  on  examination,  it  is  found  to  contain  only  a  trace  of  that  metal. 
In  the  State  of  Mississippi,  some  of  the  slabs  of  this  rock  are  so  univer- 
sally, and  regularly  fluted  that  they  have  been  u^ed  for  water  spouts. 

The  bed  (a.)  composed  of  waterworn  gravel,  from  one  to  four  inches  in 
diameter,  belongs  above  the  ferruginous  sandstone,  but  is  often  seen,  where 
that  member  is  wanting,  resting  on  the  older  rocks.  It  usually  forms  the 
capping  to  the  highest  ridges,  and  has  a  thickness  of  ten  feet  or  more. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  <>07 


Rice's  spring,  situated  on  the  waters  of  Mud  creek,  a  branch  of  Fourche 
Dumas,  on  section  14,  township  21  north,  range  1  west,  is  a  place  of  much 
resort  for  invalids  from  this  and  the  adjoining  counties.  The  following  is 
the  result  of  the  qualitative  chemical  examination,  made  at  the  fountain 
head: 

Temperature  of  the  air  82  deg.  F.,  temperature  of  the  water  62  deg.  F. 

Carbonic  acid  (abundant). 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

Bi-carbonate  of  the  protoxide  of  iron. 

Sulphates,  a  trace? 

The  examination  of  this  spring  was  made  at  a  very  unfavorable  time; 
the  unusually  heavy  rains,  which  fell  in  the  spring,  had  completely  satu- 
rated the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  diluted  the  spring  with  fresh  water. 
From  the  above  analysis,  it  appears  to  be  a  weak  chalybeate,  whereas  it 
is  represented  by  those  who  frequent  it  in  a  dry  time  to  be  a  strong  sul- 
phur water.  In  its  present  state,  acetate  of  lead  would  give  no  reaction 
of  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Small  deposits  of  hydrated  brown  oxide  of  iron  (limonite)  are  seen,  at 
various  places  in  this  county.  The  most  extensive  are  those  near  J.  H. 
Imboden's  on  Eleven  Point  river,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Old  Jackson,  close 
to  the  boundary  line  between  Randolph  and  Lawrence  counties.  It  is 
possible  a  sufficiency  of  good  ore  may  be  found  at  the  latter  locality  to 
supply  a  small  forge. 

Agriculture. 

East  of  Black  river  the  soil  is  principally  river  deposit;  and,  where  not 
submerged  by  ordinary  freshets,  is  easily  cultivated  and  remarkably  pro- 
ductive. It  is  well  adapted  for  corn,  wheat,  oats,  and  clover.  Samples 
of  soils  were  collected  in  this  part  of  the  county,  from  a  farm  18  miles 
from  Pocahontas,  belonging  toMaj.  Proudfit.  The  virgin  soil  is  of  alight 
black  color,  and  the  sub-soil  a  yellow  clay.  The  field,  in  which  the  soil 
No.  2  was  collected,  had  been  in  cultivation  twenty  years,  nearly  all  the 
time  in  corn,  and  will  now  produce  with  ordinary  tillage  a  crop  of  50  or 
70  bushels  to  the  acre. 

West  of  Black  river,  the  principal  soils  for  cultivation  are  the  rich  allu- 
vial lands  adjacent  to  the  river. 

The  growth  of  timber  on  the  east  side  of  Black  river,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  black  walnut,  is  the  same  as  that  noted  in  Greene  county.  On  the 
west  side  of  this  river  the  growth  is  small  oak  and  hickory,  on  the  hills; 


208 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


whilst  on  the  river  bottoms  the  timber  is  large,  and  contains,  in  addition 
to  the  hickory,  gum  and  elm. 


LAWRENCE    COUNTY. 

The  geological  position  of  the  rocks,  along  my  route,  have  been  mostly 
determined  by  their  lithological  character,  owing  to  the  almost  total 
absence  of  organic  remains;  in  one  member  alone  of  the  magnesian  lime- 
stones were  any  discovered,  and  they  were  only  a  few  very  imperfect 
casts  of  the  genus  orthis,  too  indistinct  for  determination;  also  a  simgle 
specimen  of  an  orlhoccralitc,  which  is  probably  new.  The  want  of  so 
essential  an  aid  to  the  determination  of  the  position  of  rocks,  (especially 
where  there  has  been  a  great  thinning  out  of  the  members,  and  a  condi- 
tion which  indicates  a  deposition  on  a  very  unequal  bottom,  together  with 
a  subsequent  cutting  away  by  currents  of  the  deposited  members,)  renders 
the  identification  of  equivalent  formations  difficult  and  uncertain.  The 
accompanying  section  may  therefore  require,  upon  more  minute  investiga- 
tion and  comparison,  correction  in  some  of  the  details;  and,  for  the  present, 
I  shall  only  indicate  the  system  to  which  I  think  they  will  hereafter  prove 
to  belong,  without  designating  the  particular  member  they  may  represent. 

The  strata  are  lettered  in  the  ascending  order. 

All  the  members  from 

(a)  to  (h)  inclusive,   be- 
long, most  probably,  to 
the  lower  silurian  period. 
The     remaining     mem- 
bers (z)  and  (j),   are   of 
quaternary  date. 

The  thick-bedded  mag- 
nesian limestone  (a)  and 

(b)  are  the  rocks  in  which 
the  zinc,  lead,  and  cop- 
per    ores     are     usually 
found.      The    copper   is 
but  sparingly  dissemin- 
ated in  some  of  the  calc- 
spar  veins  ramifying  this 
rock.     On   the  property 
of  Mr.    C.   T.    Stewart, 
township     17,    range    2 
west,  many  small  sam- 


4J 

9 
V 
fa 

Inches. 

j 

-J_i_L 

G      |      G 

10 

Waterworn  gravel. 

i 

5 

"  Orange  sand." 

(-TT 

L     |      L 

7, 

_LLJ_ 

L      |      L 

JjJL 

L      |      L, 

30 

Rugged  weathering  limestone,  with  veins  of 
calcspar,  and  casts  of  a  small  cytherea. 

CH 

9 

CH    CH 

15 

White  chert  bed. 

CH 

1 

1           1 

1 

;  i 

i 

Massive   saccharoidal  sandstone,  white,  red- 

f 

i   i 

60 

dish,  and  variegated. 

i 

i   i 

i 

i   i 
i 

i   i 

OF  ARKANSAS. 


209 


L      |      L 

JTE 

L  L 


L      I      L 

TTT 


iz  I    z   ] z 


20 


40 


20 


20? 


pies  of  copper  pyrites 
found,  and  a  similar  va- 
riety of  ore  was  also 
found  in  the  same  geo- 
logical position  on  the 
property  of  Mr.  William. 
R.  Williams,  on  section 
32,  township  17  north, 
range  6  west. 

The  veins  of  calcspar 
in  which  the  copper  oc- 
curs, have  no  constant 
direction,  where  seen; 
but  it  is  probable  that, 
when  the  country  comes 
to  be  examined  more  in 

Thick-bedded  magnesian  limestone,   full  of  detail  they  may  be  found 

crevices;  lead  and  copper  bearing  rock. 

connected     with     some 


Compact  magnesian  limestone,  with  casts  of 
ortlris. 


Light  buff,  impure  magnesiau  limestone,  with 
couchoidal  fracture. 


Gray  thick  -bedded  magnesian  limestone,  with 
ferruginous  chert,  lower  part  siliceous. 


Place  of  zinc  ore. 


system  of  true  veins. 

The  principal  working  for  lead,  in  these  rocks,  in  Lawrence  county,  has 
been  made  on  the  property  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Houghton,  six  miles  from  Pow- 
hatan,  on  section  10,  township  17  north,  range  2  west,  where  as  many  as 
twenty  pits  have  been  sunk,  from  which  between  one  and  three  thousand 
pounds  of  galena  have  been  taken  out.  No  profitable  lode  was  reached, 
therefore  the  diggings  were  discontinued.  Surface  lead  ore  ("  float  min- 
eral") has  been  occasionally  picked  up,  over  a  district  about  one-fourth 
of  a  mile  in  breadth,  and  extending  several  miles  in  a  north-west  direc- 
tion; but  no  continuous  vein  has  so  far  been  discovered. 

In  the  openings  which  have  been  made  in  this  county,  the  cap  rock  is 
first  reached;  after  penetrating  it,  at  a  depth  of  thirty  or  forty  feet, 
members  (a)  and  (b)  of  the  preceding  section  are  reached;  in  these,  small 
crevices  occur,  in  which  the  lead  ore  is  found,  accompanied  with  clay, 
charged  with  oxide  of  iron  ("gossan"}.  These  crevices  have  a  bearing 
north-east  and  south-west,  but  do  not  extend  continuously^  any  great  dis- 
tance. The  abandoned  shafts,  at  this  locality,  had  become  mostly  filled 
with  rubbish,  so  that  I  had  no  opportunity  of  seeing  the  position  of  the 
ore  at  the  bottom.  When  more  time  can  be  devoted  to  the  examination 
of  this  county,  a  more  satisfactory  conclusion  may  be  arrived  at,  in  regard 
to  this  lead  region,  than  could  be  gained  in  the  time  allowed  for  a  simple 
reconnoissance  of  the  country.  All  that  can  be  at  present  stated,  from 
14 


210  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

the  best  information,  is  that  the  ore  was  rather  more  abundant  at  the 
greatest  depth  reached,  than  near  the  surface,  as  if  it  might  concentrate 
into  a  true  vein.  For  want  of  sufficient  capital  to  sink  deeper,  these 
mines  have  never  been  thoroughly  proved. 

Associated  with  the  lead  at  Houghton's  diggings,  is  a  yellow,  earthy- 
looking  rock,  resembling  indurated  mud;  hence,  labeled  mudstone,  which 
proves  on  examination  to  be  remarkably  rich  in  carbonate  of  zinc;  for  the 
chemical  constituents  of  this  ore,  see  the  Chemical  Report. 

Many  other  localities  in  this  county  have  afforded  some  lead.  On  the 
headwaters  of  Reed's  creek,  on  the  property  of  Mr.  Robert  G.  Shaver, 
township  15,  range  4  west,  lead  ore  is  found,  associated  with  carbonate  of 
zinc  and  zinc-blende  (sulphuret  of  zinc).  At  this  place,  digging  has  only 
been  made  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three  feet,  entirely  insufficient  to  prove 
the  richness'of  the  deposit.  The  crevices  in  which  the  lead  is  found,  tra- 
verse the  strata  in  a  north-east  and  south-west  course.  This  locality  has 
the  appearance  of  being  a  very  favorable  place  in  which  to  find  a  good 
vein  of  galena;  at  least,  it  is  worthy  of  a  more  systematic  search  than  has 
yet  been  made.  The  rocks  in  which  this  lead  occurs,  belong  also  to  a  and 
b  of  the  section. 

Carbonate  of  zinc,  belonging  to  the  variety  known  as  "smithsonite,"  is  very 
abundant  in  this  county,  and,  for  the  purpose  of  converting  this  ore  into 
the  metallic  zinc  of  commerce,  works  have  been  erected  by  a  company  of 
gentlemen  from  St.  Louis,  known  as  the  Independence  Mining  Company. 
Their  works  are  located  on  section  22,  township  16  north,  range  4  west, 
and  are  called  "  Calamine,"  after  the  zinc  ore  of  that  name. 

So  far  as  can  be  ascertained  by  the  present  openings,  the  zinc  ore  does 
not  run  in  veins  or  crevices,  but  occurs  in  beds,  associated  with  a  red  ferrugi- 
nous clay,  resting  on  a  dolomitic  limestone.  Both  the  matrix  of  red  clay 
and  specimens  of  the  associate  limestone,  which  were  analyzed  by  Wm. 
Elderhorst,  M.  D.,  the  Chemist  to  the  Survey,  have  been  found  to  contain 
a  small  per  centage  of  zinc.  The  ore,  imbedded  in  the  clay,  is  usually  of 
a  porous  or  cellular  character;  but  sometimes  compact,  and  covered  with 
crystals  stained  with  oxide  of  iron.  That  which  is  found  in  contact  with 
the  dolomitic  bedrock,  is  mostly  in  mammillary  or  botryoidal  masses,  hav- 
ing an  opalescent  appearance  on  the  fresh  fractured  surface.  The  corro- 
ded and  irregular  surface  of  the  dolomite  seems  to  indicate  that  large  por- 
tions of  it  must  have  been  removed,  perhaps  by  some  material  inter- 
change of  the  elements  of  the  rocks  and  the  metallic  solutions  pervading 
it.  The  small  fractures,  which  traverse  this  bed  rock  in  every  direction, 
are,  at  some  of  the  localities,  filled  with  beautiful  rose-colored  crystals  of 
carbonate  of  zinc,  resembling  pearlspar. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


The  follwing  section  will  show  the  succession  of  the  rocks  at  "  Gala- 
mine,"  and  the  relative  position  of  the  zinc  ore: 

Slope  to  the  top  of  the  hill  covered  with  chert  and  scattered 
masses  of  brown  oxide  of  iron,  resting  on  limestone  with  cherty 

segregations 35  feet. 

Zinc  ore,  resting  on  cherty  magnesian  limestone  (6)  of  the  previ- 
ous section 35    " 

Calciferous  sandstone 10    " 

Magnesian   limestone > .  .    16    " 

Spring  at  "  Calamine"  furnace o    « 

86    " 

The  ore  bed  in  the  above  section  is  only  a  few  yards  from  the  smeltin^ 
furnace,  and  is  called  the  "  Koch  mine,"  after  Dr.  Koch,  one  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  smelting  company. 

The  most  extensive  deposits  of  calamine  seen,  were  at  the  e:  Hoppe 
mine,"  section  19,  township  16  north,  range  2  west;  "  Bath  mine,"  section 
29,  township  17  north,  range  3  west;  and  the  "  Raney  mine,"  three  miles 
south-east  of  Smithville. 

At  all  of  these  localities  of  calamine,  the  ore  occurs  under  precisely  the 
same  conditions;  consequently  a  description  of  one,  will  answer  for  all. 

The  "  Hoppe  mine  "  is  opened  on  the  north-west  side  of  a  low  and  very 
gradually  sloping  hill,  some  fifty  feet  above  the  valley.  A  great  many 
tons  of  calamine  have  already  been  taken  out  from  the  present  opening, 
which  is  about  six  feet  deep;  and  the  ore  has  been  proved  to  continue  to 
a  depth  exceeding  fifteen  feet,  by  trial  shafts,  sunk  for  this  purpose.  The 
greater  portion  of  the  ore,  lies  in  irregularly  curved  and  hollow  masses, 
sometimes  covered  with  rusty-looking  crystals  of  carbonate  of  zinc, having 
its  interstices,  as  well  as  the  intervening  spaces  between  the  blocks,  filled 
with  a  tenacious,  red,  ferruginous  clay.  This  clay  is  found  resting  upon 
a  magnesian  limestone,  about  four  feet  thick,  presenting  the  appearance 
of  a  segregated  mass,  and  is  traversed  by  small  veins  of  the  carbonate 
and  sulphuret  of  zinc;  the  former,  sometimes,  in  beautiful  rose-colored 
crystals.  The  calamine  resting  on,  or  in  close  proximity  to,  the  dolomitic 
bed  rock,  usually  presents  a  brecciated  appearance,  caused  by  the 
mammillary  opalescent  carbonate  of  zinc,  enclosing  fragments  of  an  amor- 
phous zinc  ore,  which  has  the  appearance  of  dolomite,  and  which  had 
very  probably  that  composition,  but  has  become  carbonate  of  zinc  by  a 
process  of  displacement. 

Some  specimens  of  the  ore  found  at  these  mines,  convey  the  idea  of  a 
simultaneous  deposition  of  the  zinc  and  dolomite;  while  others  rather 


212  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

indicate  an  infiltration  of  the  zinc  through  interstices  of  the  previously 
formed  rock.  Perhaps  the  most  plausible  explanation  of  these  pheno- 
mena, is  that  the  ore  was  first  in  the  state  of  sulphuret,  and  was  subse- 
quently changed  into  carbonate  by  some  reciprocal  play  of  chemical 
affinities  acting  from  the  interior  upwards.  The  increase  of  the  sulphuret, 
as  you  descend  in  the  rocks,  and  the  general  structure  of  the  deposits, 
which  resemble  inverted  cones,  showing  a  divergence  at  the  surface  from 
a  central  point  of  action;  together  with  the  existence  of  carbonate  of 
zinc,  in  the  associate  rocks  and  clay,  rather  favor  this  view  of  its  forma- 
tion. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  to  which  attention  was  first  called  by  Dr.  Koch, 
that,  where  deposits  of  calamine  are  found  at  the  surface,  the  only  vege- 
tation to  be  seen  is  a  small,  black  lichen,  closely  adhering  to  the  ore  or 
accompanying  rocks;  and  the  soil,  to  the  depth  of  a  few  inches,  is  of  an 
intense  black  color. 

There  are,  in  addition  to  those  already  mentioned,  four  other  mines, 
opened  and  belonging  to  the  Independence  Mining  Company,  on  the 
following  sections,  viz:  Section  28,  township  17  north,  range  3  west; 
sections  12,28,  and  29,  township  18  north,  range  4  west. 

At  the  town  of  Powhatan,  in  the  street  leading  to  Smithville,  I  discovered 
a  deposit  of  carbonate  of  zinc,  the  extent  of  which  cannot  be  known 
without  digging;  but  it  is  no  doubt  considerable,  and  there  is  every  reason 
to  believe,  that  good  calamine  will  be  found  abundant  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  this  town. 

Powhatan  is  situated  on  Black  river,  a  stream  navigable  for  small  boats, 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year;  it  has  under  construction,  and  partly  graded,  a 
plank  road  leading  to  Gainsville.  in  Greene  county,  which  will  intersect 
the  Cairo  and  Fulton  railroad  twelve  miles  distant.  This,  together  with 
the  fact,  that  it  is  surrounded  by,  and  close  to,  the  main  deposits  of  zinc 
ore,  renders  it  the  most  desirable  point  for  the  location  of  a  zinc  smelting 
furnace.  In  addition  to  the  advantages  to  be  gained  at  this  place  for 
shipping  the  metallic  products  of  the  furnace,  abundance  of  charcoal  may 
at  all  times  be  had,  from  the  extensive  forest  bordering  on  Black  river. 

These  suggestions,  for  the  location  of  a  zinc  furnace  at  Powhatan,  are 
made  from  the  fact  that  the  "  Calamine"  furnace,  from  mismanagement, 
did  not  go  into  successful  operation;  and  experience  has  shown  that  its 
location  is  not  a  favorable  one.  At  all  events,  before  the  members  of  the 
zinc  company  remodel  their  establishment  and  engage  experienced 
smelters,  they  should  take  into  consideration  the  advantages  of  a  change 
in  the  location  of  their  works  to  Powhatan,  or  some  equally  accessible 
point  on  Black  river;  because  the  success  of  the  enterprise  certainly 


OF  ARKANSAS.  <>13 


depends,  in   a  great  measure,  on  the    proper  location  of  the    smelting 
establishment. 

Considerable  beds  of  excellent  brown  oxide  of  iron  have  been  found  in 
this  county,  strewed  about  over  the  ground  in  loose  blocks.  The  original 
place  of  this  ore  is  between  c  and  d  of  the  previous  section. 

This  ore  not  only  occurs  in  the  usual  stalactitic  botryoidal  and  mammil- 
lary  forms;  but,  also,  crystallized;  the  form  of  the  crystals  being  modified 
octohedrons  (pyramido-octohedrons),  which  seem  to  be  pseudomorphsfrom 
magnetic  iron  ore. 

By  far  the  most  usual  form  of  this  ore  is  a  stalactitic  or  mammillary 
structure  on  one  side,  whilst  the  other  side  is  flat,  as  if  itfnight  have  been 
attached  to  rocks,  over  and  from  which  the  ferruginous  waters  flowed  and 
dripped,  gradually  depositing  their  iron. 

The  most  abundant  localities  seen,  for  iron  ore,  were  on  the  property  of 
Alfred  Bevens  &  Co.,  on  the  waters  of  Williams  creek,  sections  23,  25  and 
30,  township  1G  north,  range  4  west.  On  section  25  this  mineral  has 
assumed  the  form  familiarly  known  amongst  miners  as  "  pot-ore,"  imbed- 
ded in  a  red  ferruginous  clay,  resting  on  dolomite.  This  bed  is  from  two 
to  five  feet  thick.  The  upper  part  is  sandy,  the  middle  nearly  free  from 
sand,  and  the  lower  part  usually  of  excellent  quality  for  smelting.  The 
surface  of  the  ground,  above  this  bed,  is  covered  with  a  mixture  of  sili- 
ceous, and  good-working  blocks  of  stalactitic  ore. 

Alfred  Bevens  &  Co.  have  erected  a  forge  on  Williams  creek,  one  and 
a  half  miles  north-east  of  the  zinc  furnace  at  "  Calamine,"  for  working 
this  ore;  it  has  two  fires,  and  is  driven  by  a  good  water-power.  \Vhen 
visited,  this  forge  was  undergoing  thorough  repairs,  and  preparations  were 
being  made  to  introduce  the  hot  blast  in  place  of  the  cold  blast,  formerly 
in  use,  by  which  alteration  it.  was  expected  to  increase  the  amount  of 
swaged  bar  iron  manufactured  from  (500)  five  hundred  to  (1000)  sixteen 
hundred  pounds  per  day.  Though  the  quantity  of  iron  produced  at  these 
works  is  not  great,  owing  to  the  mode  of  manufacture,  wrhich  is  wasteful 
of  ore,  and  especially  so  of  fuel;  yet  it  is  of  excellent  quality  and  meets 
with  a  ready  sale  on  the  spot,  without  seeking  a  market. 

Another  very  promising  supply  of  iron  ore,  for  a  small  forge,  was  seen 
near  Dr.  John  Bevens,  township  15?  range  3  west. 

On  Big  creek,  a  branch  of  Strawberry,  there  is  a  white  cellular  quartz- 
ose  rock  found  in  abundance,  intercalated  amongst  the  sandstones  of  the 
section  of  this  county,  which  may  afford  good  millstones;  indeed,  millstones 
have  been  made  out  of  it  for  some  of  the  mills  in  the  vicinity.  A  pair  of 
stones  made  from  this  rock,  may  be  seen  running  in  Jone's  mill  on  Big 


214  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

creek,  six  miles  from  the  mouth,  and  have  proved  of  excellent  quality  for 
corn. 

The  coarse-grained  saccharoidal  sandstone  (/)  in  the  vertical  section  of 
the  rocks  in  Lawrence  county  is  mostly  of  a  dark  red  color,  but  locally 
very  white,  and  occasionally  ornamented  with  buff-colored  bands.  This 
sandstone  makes  its  appearance  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  county, 
near  Mr.  Campbell's,  caps  the  hills  on  Big  creek  (Williams  creek),  four 
miles  south  of  the  zinc  furnace  at  Calamine,  and  extends  in  a  north-west 
course  through  "  Evening  Shade,"  or  Ho:>kram,  as  it  is  usually  called,  and 
continues  on  through  Fulton  and  Marion  counties;  universally  covered 
with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  yellow  pine. 

The  orange  sand  (i)  and  the  water-worn  gravel  bed  (_;')  were  seen  in 
the  vicinity  of  Powhatan,  the  former  corresponds  to  the  ferruginous  sand 
belonging  to  the  quarternary  in  Greene  and  Randolph  counties.  The 
western  limits  of  these  two  deposits  is  somewhere  near  range  4  west, 
since  I  was  not  able  to  discover  either  it  or  the  gravel  bed  west  of  that 
line;  in  fact,  I  was  not  able  to  detect  the  ferruginous  sand  west  of  the  line 
between  ranges  three  and  four. 

At  Powhatan  the  citizens  were  extremely  anxious  to  know  if  stone  coal 
did  not  exist  close  by,  as  fragments  had  been  found  on  the  river  sand-bars, 
which,  it  was  supposed,  had  been  broken  from  the  main  deposit  and  trans- 
ported by  the  water.  For  their  information,  I  may  here  state,  that  the  true 
coal-bearing  rocks  do  not  exist  in  the  counties  through  which  Black 
river  flows;  nor  yet  in  Greene  county,  where  some  of  its  tributaries  take 
their  rise;  hence  there  is  no  probability  of  discovering  beds  of  bituminous 
coal;  but  there  are  beds  of  lignite  amongst  the  quarternary  deposits  of  this 
latter  county,  some  of  which  has  very  much  the  appearance  of  coal.  I 
am  disposed,  however,  to  think  that  the  lumps  of  coal  found  on  the  sand- 
bars, were  most  likely  dropped  from  the  steamboats  navigating  the  river. 

Agriculture. 

The  upland  soils  of  Lawrence  county,  west  of  Black  river,  are  derived 
chiefly  from  the  cherty  and  earthy  magnesian  limestones  of  the  lower 
silurian  period,  and  its  overlying  sandstones.  Soils  derived  from  the 
quarternary  are  limited  to  some  of  the  ridges  bordering  on  Black  river, 
east  of  range  four.  The  soils  selected  in  this  county,  for  analysis,  were 
collected  on  section  15,  to\vnship  17  north,  range  2  west,  overlying  and 
derived  from  the  buff,  earthy,  magnesian  limestones  of  the  lower  silurian 
system. 

Ea;t  of  Black  river  the  soils  are  essentially  alluvial,  like  those  of  the 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


eastern  part  of  Randolph.  The  "Buncomb  ridge"  maybe  especially 
cited  for  its  productiveness;  and,  being  more  elevated  than  the  adjacent 
land,  is  not  subject  to  overflow. 

The  timber  on  the  highlands,  with  the  exception  of  the  pine  ridges, 
where  the  sandstone  prevails,  is  a  thin  growth  of  stunted  oak.  On  the 
bottom  land,  the  growth  of  timber  is  large,  and  comprises  white,  black, 
red  and  postoaks,  gum,  hickory  and  black  walnut. 


JACKSON   COUNTY. 

The  northern  part  of  this  county,  examined  by  me  as  far  south  as  the 
town  of  Jacksonport,  on  White  river,  is  entirely  destitute  of  solid  rock. 
The  geological  formations  are  those  earthy  deposits,  such  as  usually  con- 
stitute alluvial  lands.  The  low  ridge,  dividing  the  waters  of  Black  river 
and  village  creek,  is  composed  as  follows: 

Siliceous  soil  and  subsoil 7  feet. 

Tough  yellow  clay   • 18     " 


25  feet. 

These  are  underlaid  by  a   light-colored  sand,  the  thickness  of  which 
could  not  be  seen;  this  sand  forms  the  substratum,  which  affords  unfailing 
supplies  of  good   water,  and  is  reached  by  sinking  wells,  at  a  depth  of 
from  15  to  30  feet.     From  the  qualitative  chemical  examination,  made  of 
this  water,  taken  from  Mr.  John  Robinson's  well,  two  miles  north  of  Jack- 
sonport,  it  was  found  to  contain 
Carbonic  acid, 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime,  (small  quantity), 

"  "    magnesia,  "         " 

Sulphates,  a  trace? 

The  examination  of  this  water  is  important  to  clear  up  the  prejudice  of 
those  persons,  who  have  looked  upon  the  well  water  of  this  portion  of 
Jackson  county,  as  deleterious  to  health.  It  contains  the  usual  mineral 
ingredients  of  hard  spring  water;  these,  when  not  in  quantities  so  large  as 
to  produce  medicinal  effects,  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  injurious  to  health, 
since  they  contain  elements  essential  for  the  growth  of  the  body,  in  a  form, 
easy  of  assimilation. 

The  northern  part  of  Jackson  county  contains  a  large  amount  of  highly 
productive  land,  easily  cultivated,  and  especially  adapted  to  the  growth 
of  cotton,  wheat,  oats  and  corn.  A  set  of  the  alluvial  soils  of  Jackson 
county  were  collected  for  analysis  from  Mr.  H.  J.  Dowel's  land,  section  32, 
township  14  north,  range  2  west,  fourteen  miles  north  of  Jacksonport; 


216 


GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 


also,  a  set  from  Mr.  M.  L.  Robinson's  land,  two  miles  north  of  Jackson- 
port.  At  the  latter  place,  No.  2,  the  cultivated  soil,  was  selected  from  an 
old  field  fifty  years  or  more  in  cultivation,  and  has  produced  for  the  last 
twenty  years  successive  crops  of  cotton,  with  an  average  yield  of  about 
eight  hundred  pounds  of  seed  cotton  per  acre,  rating  in  the  New  Orleans 
market  in  quality  equal  to  the  Mississippi  cotton,  and  having  a  rather 
better  staple  than  the  cotton  from  Tennessee. 

The  principal  growth  of  timber  on  this  land  is  black,  white  and  post- 
oak,  sweetgum,  blackwalnut,  and  some  hickory. 

The  Cairo  and  Fulton  railroad  crosses  White  river  near  Jacksonport, 
and  runs  along  Village  creek,  through  the  northern  part  of  the  county.  I 
was  informed  that  as  many  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  hands  were  employed 
this  season  in  its  construction  in  Jackson  county,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the 
completion  of  so  important  a  work  to  the  State,  is  placed  beyond  a  doubt. 
The  large  grant  of  lands  bordering  on  the  road,  it  is  estimated  will  be 
sufficient  to  pay  for  its  construction. 


INDEPENDENCE    COUNTY. 

The  .geological  formations  in  the  part  of  this  county  explored  by  me, 


are  exhibited  in  the  following  section: 


/; 

—  

o 

~io 

Watenvorn  quaternary  gravel. 

9 

SPSS 

15 

Coarse  ferruginous  quaternary  sandstone. 

c    |    c 

1   o  1 

c    |    c 

c    |    c 

i 

c    |    c 

XCIL 

4RO 

Conglomerate  and  millstone  grit,  with  interca- 
lated shale  and  schistose  sandstone,  480  feet 

c    |    c 

in  thickness. 

c    |    c 

EL 

jErZrrr^E: 

• 

•  

—  

^rE== 

._  . 

.  —  

On  the  road  from  Jack- 
sonport to  Batesville, 
after  reaching  the  high- 
land some  five  miles  in 
a  westerly  course  from 
Black  river,  the  water- 
worn  quaternary  horn- 
stone  and  chert  gravel 
(k)  of  this  section  is 
found  capping  the  tops 
of  the  hills  as  far  west 
as  range  4.  This  gravel 
bed  sometimes  rests  upon 
the  ferruginous  sand- 
ston  (/),  and  sometimes 
immediately  upon  the 
buff-colored  sandstone 
(/);  but  was  nowhere 
recognized  in  connection 


OF  ARKANSAS 


217 


c    I    c 


480 


20? 


186 


longlomerate  and  millstone  grit,  with  interca- 
lated shale  and  schistose  sandstone.  480  i'eei 
in  thickness — Continued. 


20  Black  entrochital  limestones. 


3lace  of  dark  shales,  usually  under  the  black 
limestone. 


Buff-colored  fossil! ferous  sandstone,  with  inter- 
calated, dark  shale;  lower  part  thin-bedded 
and  schistose. 


with    the     intermediate 
members. 

The  coarse  ferruginous 
sandstone  (;')  is  seen,  in 
many  places  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  Independence 
county,  resting,  usually, 
on  the  buff  sandstone  ( /'). 
At  some  localities,  it  is 
very  rich  in  iron  ore;  but 
too  much  mixed  with 
sand  to  admit  of  its  being 
used,  profitably,  as  an 
ore  for  the  manufacture 
of  iron. 

The  conglomerate  or 
millstone  grit  (i)  was  not 
seen  on  the  north  side  of 
White  river,  but  makes 
its  appearance  in  the 
southern  part  of  the 
county,  near  Rocky  Point 
post-office,  where  it  con- 
tains embedded  pebbles- 
This  rock  has  been  quar- 
ried, and  is  held  in  good 
repute  for  millstones. 
Though  not  more  than 
fifty  or  sixty  feet  in  thick- 
ness at  the  above  locali- 
ty, on  the  south  side  of 
Salido  creek  it  increases, 
with  its  associate  shales, 
to  four  hundred  and 
eighty  feet.  I  have  not 
observed  any  coal  asso- 
:iated  with  these  rocks 
n  this  county. 

The    black   limestone 
h)  belongs  to  the   sub- 
carboniferous    limestone 


218 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


"S 

O 

i 

i-rrEE^E: 

35 

Black  bituminous  shale. 



L      |      L 

1     I-     1 

L,      |      L, 

L      |      L 

L       i      L 

S      |      S 

"  i~s~| 

__!•_   1 

s    |    s 

ITSIL 

s    |    s 

JI-JL 

d 

s     |     s 
I     -    i 

jjy 

400 

Subcarboniforous  or  cavernous  limestone,  with 
intercalations  of  sandstone  and  shale;  con- 
tains large  deposits  of  manganese,  some  iron, 
and  copper  pyrites. 

L      |      L 

Jj:  I 

,.   |   t 

._i_LT; 

L      |      L 

_   1     M 

L      |      L 

^  

_  

i.      \      L 

L      |      L 

L      |      L 

L~LL. 

r 

s    |    s 

75 

Massive  saccharoidal  sandstone. 

s    |    s 

1     K     1 

g      |      S 

1     8    f 

period;  where  it  crops 
out,  north  of  Rocky  Point 
post-office,  it  has  a  thick- 
ness of  about  twenty 
feet.  It  is  quite  iossilife- 
rous:  the  most  abundant 
fossils  are,  Productus 
co?-a,and.P.chgans.  One 
layer,  full  of  entrochites, 
is  hard  enough  to  take  a 
polish,  and  the  fossils 
generally  showing  white 
on  a  black  ground,  it  will 
make  a  handsome  mar- 
ble for  ornamental  pur- 
poses. This  limestone  is 
usually  underlaid  by  the 
dark  shales  (g)  of  the 
section. 

Sandstone  (/)  is  buff- 
colored,  and  rather  soft; 
usually  in  prismatic 
blocks  near  the  base,  and 
contains  casts  of  subcar- 
boniierous  fossils  belong- 
ing to  the  genera  sjdri- 
fcr,  ort/iis,  lingula,  pro- 
dactus,  nucula,  and  bd- 
Icrophon,  also  fragments 
of  t'-ilobitcs.  At  Mr. 
McDonald's,  on  the  head 
waters  of  Mud  creek,  13 
miles  from  Batesville, 
this  member  is  but  a  few 
feet  in  thickness,  and 
rests  upon  dark,  sheety 
shales;  the  sandstone  is 
bedded  in  blocks  from 
three  to  four  inches 
thick,  having  an  earthy 
look,  and  low  specific 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


219 


o> 
o 

L      |      L 

fi 

1     L    1 

7 

Light-colored  earthy  looking  limestone,  "  white 
rock." 

L      |      L 

(J 

ML      ML 

40 

Magnesian  limestone,  containing  galena,  blende, 
carbonate  of  zinc,  and  some  copper  pyrites. 

ML 
ML      ML 

ML 

gravity.  Between  Sul- 
pher  rock  and  Parson 
Rogers'  dwelling,  it  is 
only  eighty  feet  thick; 
between  Batesville  and 
Spring  creek,  it  has  ex- 
panded to  one  hundred 
and  eighty  feet  or  more. 
It  forms  the  substratum 
upon  which  the  town  of  Batesville  is  built,  and  crops  out  about  one  mile 
to  the  north.  Seven  or  eight  miles  south  of  Batesville,  this  member  dips 
beneath  the  drainage  of  the  country.  East  and  west,  along  its  strike,  it 
can  be  traced  as  the  surface  rock  from  the  highland,  on  Black  river,  pass- 
ing through  Stdphur  rock  and  Batesville,  to  the  western  boundary  of  the 
State.  Though  very  persistent,  in  its  lithological  character,  this  member 
is,  at  some  places,  almost  entirely  replaced  by  limestone,  with,  locally, 
one  or  more  beds  of  intercalated  dark  argillaceous  shale. 

Member  (e)  was  first  observed,  along  my  line  of  survey,  at  Mr.  Mc- 
Donald's, in  a  little  branch  called  Shakeray,  a  tributary  of  Mud  creek, 
where  it  is  not  more  than  three  or  four  feet  thick,  the  upper  part  of  a 
dark-gray  color,  and  splitting  into  large  thin  sheets.  The  lower  part  is 
ferruginous,  more  compact,  and  quarries  into  blocks  six  or  eight  inches 
thick;  it  will  probably  be  found,  when  analyzed,  to  contain  a  considerable 
amount  of  iron;  in  fact,  I  wras  impressed  with  the  belief,  while  at  some  of 
the  localities  of  this  shale,  near  Sulphur  Rock  and  Batesville,  that  it  would 
prove  to  contain  enough  iron  to  justify  smelting.* 

Going  west  from  McDonald's,  this  black  shale  increases  in  thickness, 
and  is  found  in  the  bottom  of  wells,  and  in  the  deep  cuts  of  ravines,  as 
far  west  as  Spring  creek,  three  miles  north-west  of  Batesville,  where  it 
attains  a  thickness  of  thirty-five  feet  or  more;  and  though  undoubtedly 
belonging  to  the  subcarboniferous  period,  has  the  lithological  character  of 
the  devonian  black  shales  of  Indiana  and  Kentucky.  It  is  charged  with 
bitumen,  possesses  a  strong,  fetid  odor,  splits  into  thin  sheets,  and  decom- 
poses too  easily  to  permit  of  its  being  used  for  roofing  buildings.  At 
Spring  creek,  this  member  contains  the  same  black,  compact,  and  ferru- 
ginous stratum  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Sulphur  Rock,  which  is  here 

*0wing  to  some  unknown  cause,  the  packages  shipped  by  me,  early  last  spring,  to  the  office  of 
the  Arkanses  Survey,  have  not  yet  been  received.  One  of  these  packages  contained  the  principal 


presei   , 

i'ouiid  at  some  of  the  shipping  points  along  their  route. 


GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 


increased  to  a  thickness  of  ten  or  twelve   feet,  and  has  been  quarried  to 
build,  in  part,  the  race  at  Ruddle's  mill,  on  this  creek. 

The  organic  remains  seen  in  this  shale,  comprise  imperfect  casts  of  the 
genera,   cardium,    lingula,  aviiula,   and    orthoccras,  bi-furcated   teelh  of 
fishes  and  stems  of  plants. 

The  cherty  subcarbonilerous  or  cavernous  limestone  (d)  which  commen- 
ces at  Black  river  hills,  in  township  14,  often  encroaches  upon  and  replaces 
the  greater  portion  of  the  overlying  sandstone  (/).  This  cherty  limestone 
has  its  southern  limits  one  mile  north  of  Batesville,  caps  the  mountains  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  county  with  its  detached  chert,  and  continues  in 
the  direction  of  its  strike,  a  little  north  of  west  to  the  Cherokee  territory. 
In  the  western  part  of  the  State,  north  of  township  15,  it  is  in  great  force, 
and  extends  northward  into  Missouri,  beyond  the  lead  mines  of  Granby. 

In  the  western  part  of  Independence  county  this  limestone  forms  a  per- 
pendicular cliff  on  White  river,  above  the  mouth  of  Lafferty  creek,  from 
four  hundred  to  five  hundred  feet  in  height,  making  a  conspicuous  land- 
mark for  navigators  of  this  river,  and  bears  the  name  of  '•  Pinter's  Bluff." 
Between  this  point  and  Batesville  it  forms  the  substratum  of  extensive 
table-lands,  well  adapted  for  agriculture.  Characteristic  samples  of  this 
soil  have  been  collected  from  the  farm  of  Mr.  R.  A.  Childress,  section  30, 
township  14  north,  range  8  west,  ten  miles  from  Batesville. 

One  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Batesville,  on  the  property  of  Mr.  Mull, 
there  is  an  oolitic  member  of  this  limestone,  having  a  thickness  of  thirty 
or  forty  feet,  which  takes  a  good  polish  and  can  be  quarried  in  blocks  of 
any  required  size  for  building  purposes,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  a 
durable  stone.  Mr.  Mull  is  now  engaged  quarrying  this  rock,  for  the 
manufacture  of  lime,  for  which  use  it  is  well  adapted,  on  account  of  its 
purity  and  whiteness.  Lime  made  from  the  oolitic  limestone,  on  the 
Ohio  river,  below  Louisville,  always  brings  a  higher  price  and  meets  with 
a  more  ready  sale  than  that  which  is  made  from  the  associated  dark  lime- 
stones. 

The  ores  found  in  this  member  (d.)  are  oxides  of  iron  and  manganese, 
galena  and  some  little  copper  pyrites.  The  two  former  of  these  promise 
to  be  abundant.  This  is  the  same  geological  formation  in  which  the  fine 
deposits  of  iron  ore  occur  on  the  Cumberland  river,  in  Kentucky  and  Ten- 
nessee, that  supply  the  western  furnaces  located  in  its  vicinity. 

North  of  Batesville,  near  Mr.  Cason's,  there  is  a  strong  axis  of  distur- 
bance in  the  strata,  bearing  south-east  and  north-west.  Small  quantities 
of  copper  pyrites  are  found  disseminated  amongst  these  titled  strata. 
chiefly  in  a  close  textured  limestone  rock,  which  has  a  slight  greenish 
color.  Its  occurrence,  in  proximity  to  this  line  of  disturbance,  may  be  re- 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


gardcd  as  a  favorable  symptom  and  indicative  of  its  origin  from  beneath. 

In  this  formation,  in  the  vicinity  of  Laflerty  creek,  rich  beds  of  manga- 
nese ore  have  been  found  at  several  places.*  The  most  remarkable 
occurrence  ol  this  ore,  within  my  range  of  observation,  is  on  the  property 
of  Mr.  Martin  Cason's  in  section  34,  township  14  north,  range  6  west,  three 
miles  north  of  Batesville.  HerU  it  does  not  occur  in  veins,  but  in  regularly 
stratified  beds,  splitting  up  into  rusty  slabs  two  or  three  inches  thick,  and 
containing  imbedded  sub-spheroidal  concretions  of  a  harder  and  more 
metallic  appearance  than  the  matrix  ore;  in  size  they  vary,  from  a  half  to 
one  inch  in  diameter.  This  segregated  ore  is  not  inappropriately  called, 
"  Button  ore."f  It  is  well  exposed  at  Mr.  Cason's,  on  the  slope  of  a  hill 
in  his  field,  where,  in  fact,  he  actually  turns  it  up  in  great  sheets  while 
cultivating  his  land  with  the  plow.  After  it  has  been  exposed  to  the 
atmosphere  for  a  short  time,  decomposition  takes  place,  producing  a  black 
soil  more  fertile  than  any  other  portion  of  his  farm.  Shafts  have  been 
sunk  into  the  ore  at  this  place,  fifteen  feet  in  depth,  without  reaching  the 
bottom.  The  ore-bed  is  overlaid  by  a  coarse-grained  entrochital  limestone, 
which  has  four  feet  of  its  base  colored  red  and  filled  with  the  aforemen- 
tioned button-shaped  concretions  of  manganese  ore. 

The  position  and  appearance  of  the  ore,  at  this  locality,  render  it  highly 
probable  that  beds  of  limestone,  previously  existing,  have  been  replaced 
by  infiltrated  oxide  of  manganese. 

The  saccharoidal  sandstone  (c)  was  best  seen  in  the  eastern  and  north- 
ern part  of  the  county  on  Bayou  Doty  and  Bayou  Cury,  where  it  has  a 
thickness  of  fifty  or  seventy-five  feet.  It  is  a  coarse-grained,  slightly 
cemented  rock,  possessing  a  variety  of  shades  of  color,  from  pure  wrhite 
to  deep  red.  This  variegated  sandstone  underlies  the  subcarboniferous 
limestones  (d.)  and  rests  on  magnesian  limestones  of  lower  silurian  date^ 
but  being  destitute  of  fossils  we  are,  at  present,  not  prepared  to  say  posi- 
tively to  what  geological  period  it  belongs. 

The  earthy  looking  limestone  (b.)  is  found  associated  with  and  over  the 
lead  bearing  magnesian  limestone  of  the  lower  silurian  period,  and  is 
usually  known  in  the  vicinity  where  it  occurs,  by  the  name  of  "white 
rock,"  or  "  cotton  rock."  This  is  a  very  constant  member  in  the  slopes 
of  the  hills,  in  the  northern  counties,  where  lead  ores  have  been  dis- 
covered. 

The  massive  magnesian  limestone  (a.)  is  a  continuation  downwards  of 

*  See  Report  of  Dr.  D.  D.  Owen,  State  Geologist. 

t  The  specimens  collected  at  this  locality,  and  shipped,  have  not  yet  arrived.  The  economical 
value  cannot  therefore  be  reported  on. 


222  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

the  above  formation,  and  is  frequently  intersected  by  small  imperfect  veins 
of  galena,  associated  with  calcareous  spar,  copper  pyrites  and  zinc', 

Some  five  years  ago  a  company  was  organized  in  Batesville,  to  search 
for  lead  in  this  rock,  on  Bayou  Cury.  Several  pits  or  shallow  shafts  were 
sunk  under  the  direction  of  Judge  T.  C.  Bricky,  one  of  the  company,  and 
a  considerable  amount  of  lead  taken  out;  the  means  at  the  disposal  of  this 
company  were  inadequate  to  make  the  necessary  investigation  for  prov- 
ing the  ground.  In  consequence  of  the  shafts  having  caved  in,  no  oppor- 
tunity was  afforded  to  see  the  character  of  the  veins.  In  the  rubbish, 
thrown  out  of  the  shaft,  I  saw  a  considerable  amount  of  the  sulphuret 
and  carbonate  of  zinc,  and  collected  specimens  for  analysis;  *  these  speci- 
mens of  sulphuret  of  lead  are  of  the  steel-gray  variety,  but  disseminated 
amongst  spar  and  rock,  rendering  it  difficult  to  obtain  large  specimens  of 
the  clear  ore.  The  geological  formation  is  certainly  perfectly  analogous 
to  that  in  the  lead  region  of  Marion,  Carroll,  and  Lawrence;  which 
circumstance  renders  it  probable  that  the  ore  will  be  found  under  the  same 
circumstances  as  in  the  above  mentioned  counties. 

Agriculture. 

A  considerable  diversity  of  soil  is  to  be  found  in  Independence  county, 
corresponding  to  changes  in  the  underlying  geological  formations.  Though 
the  surface  is  considerably  broken,  still  there  are  extensive  areas  of  table- 
land underlaid  by  the  cherty  subcarboniferous  limestones.  These  soils 
are  rich,  and  being  based  on  red  clay,  are  retentive  and  durable;  they  are 
similar  in  composition  to  the  land  in  the  barrens  of  Kentucky.  There 
are,  also,  extensive  tracts  of  bottom  land,  bordering  on  the  numerous 
small  streams  which  water  this  county,  that  are  well  adapted  for  culti- 
vation. 

The  principal  growth  of  timber  is  white,  black,  red,  and  postoaks, 
hickory,  gum  and  elm;  on  the  cherty  limestone  land,  the  most  abundant 
trees  are  blackjack,  sassafras  and  persimmon. 


FULTON    COUNTY. 

In  the  southeastern  corner  of  this  county,  near  Judge  Billingsley's,  the 
substratum  is  a  hard  impure  limestone,  rough  weathering,  and  full  of  cross 
cracks;  superimposed  on  this,  are  thirty  or  forty  feet  of  thin-bedded  sili- 
ceous limestone,  disposed  in  layers  like  pavement  stones,  on  the  surface  of 
which  remarkable  fucoidal  impressions  are  apparent.  Above  this  flaggy 

*  For  result  of  the  analysis,  see  appendix  to  Chemical  Report. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  223 


limestone  is  an  impure,  clierty  member,  about  twenty-five  feet  thick. 
This  succession  continues  nearly  to  Salem,  and  the  country  is  strewed 
with  the  reddish  and  variegated  chert,  derived  from  these  formations. 

Half  a  mile  north  of  Salem,  is  an  isolated,  comical  hill,  called  the 
"  Pilot  Knob."  A  measurment  made  with  the  aneroid  barometer,  gave 
its  height  four  hundred  and  forty-five  (445)  feet  above  the  town  of  Salem. 
The  summit  is  capped  with  a  reddish,  quartzose  sandstone,  and  disinte- 
grated fragments  of  the  same  are  strewed  on  the  sides  of  the  "  Knob;" 
thus  entirely  concealing  from  view  any  other  rocks  which  may  exist  at  the 
base.  This  is  a  conspicuous  knob  that  may  be  seen  from  a  distance  of 
many  miles;  hence  it  served,  in  early  times,  to  direct  the  course  of  the 
pioneers. 

Four  miles  west  of  Salem,  there  is  a  considerable  bed  of  hydrated 
brown  oxide  of  iron,  in  connection  with  an  impure  siliceous  ore,  laying 
exposed  on  a  ridge,  about  one  hundred  feet  above  the  general  drainage 
of  the  country. 

The  geological  position  of  this  ore  is  probably  the  same  as  that  which 
has  been  before  noted  in  Lawrence  county. 

Both  copper  pyrites  and  galena,  have  been  found  in  small  quantities  in 
the  magnesian  limestones,  in  the  southern  and  western  part  of  the 
county. 

Between  Salem  and  Bennett's  bayou,  the  substratum  is  a  white  earthy 
limestone,  resembling  the  "white  rock"  (b)  of  the  Independence  county 
section,  alternating  with  a  greenish,  marly  shale,  which  weathers  easily 
and  forms  broad  grassy  valleys  between  the  hills  destitute  of  timber. 
Bennett's  bayou,  along  which  is  a  rich  agricultural  district,  cuts  its  way 
principally  through  this  stratum. 

In  the  western  part  of  this  county,  on  the  North  fork  of  White  river, 
there  are  seen,  in  the  base  of  the  hills,  ninety  feet  of  irregularly  bedded, 
impure,  cherty  limestone;  the  chert  is  very  brittle,  and  has  a  tendency  to 
break  into  cubes.  This  is  overlaid  by  one  hundred  and  eighteen  feet  of 
cherty  limestone,  alternating  with  a  grayish-buff,  siliceous  rock. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  on  Piney  creek,  the  saccharoidal 
sandstone  (c)  of  the  Independence  county  section,  forms  the  tops  of  the 
ridges,  and  is  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  yellow  pine. 

Agriculture. 

The  valleys  of  the  numerous  streams,  watering  this  county,  afford  a 
rich  fertile  soil,  well  adapted  for  cultivation;  and  that  forming  the  small 
grassy  valleys,  derived  from  the  decomposition  of  the  "white  rock"  acd 


224  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

its -marly  shales,  is  generally  black  and  quite  productive  for  all  kinds  of 
small  grain.  Characteristic  soils  of  the  latter  land  were  collected  from  a 
farm  belonging  to  Judge  Billingsly. 

The  principal  growth  of  timber  on  the  limestone  and  chert  ridges  is 
blackjack,  blackoak,  postoak  and  hickory,  and  where  the  sandstone  pre- 
vails, yellow  pine.  In  the  prairie-like  valleys,  besides  the  tall  barren- 
grass,  there  is  an  abundant  growth  of  "  Rosin  weed,"  Camphorosma  rcsi- 
nosa  (Gray). 


MARION   COUNTY. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  Marion  county,  there  is  an  alternation  of  the 
magnesian  or  lead-bearing  rocks  of  the  lower  silurian  period,  with  sand- 
stones, and  the  tops  of  the  highest  hills  are  covered  with  chert  belonging 
to  the  subcarboniferous  rocks,  as  proved  by  the  characteristic  fossils  which 
it  contains;  these  are,  however,  in  most  instances  only  casts.  A  number 
of  fine  specimens  of  fossils,  found  in  this  chert,  were  presented  to  the 
survey  by  Mr.  William  Flipping,  among  which  are  several  crinoides, 
belonging  to  the  genera  platycrinus  and  actinocrinus,  also  Spirifer  Stria- 
tus,  and  a  large  undcscribed  nautilus.  The  light  impure  limestone 
"  white  rock,"  with  its  associate  greenish  marly  shale,  is  seen,  over  a  great 
portion  of  this  county,  and  forms  the  substratum  to  the  gently  undulating 
tracts  of  land,  known  by  the  name  of  "Barrens."  The  principal  of  these 
are  the  Flipping,  Rapp,  and  Talbot  barrens.  Characteristic  soils  have 
been  collected  from  the  latter,  which  will  give  a  fair  average  of  this  kind 
of  la:id.  It  is  very  black,  and  in  addition  to  barren  grass,  supports  a  luxu- 
riant growth  of  "Rosin  weed,"  Camphorosma  reslnosa  (Gray). 

On  the  immediate  bank  of  White  river,  in  section  28,  township  20  north, 
range  15  west,  in  what  is  called  the  Horseshoe  bend  of  the  river,  a  mag- 
nesian  limestone,  alternating  with  sandstone,  forms  a  conspicuous  bluff; 
in  all,  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  thick.  A  number  of  rock-house 
caves  have  been  formed  by  the  disintegration  of  the  magnesian  member 
of  this  series,  in  which  large  quantities  of  nitre  earth  have  been  formed. 

The  principal  of  these  caves  is  known  generally  as  the  Bean  cave,  and 
seems  to  have  been  worked  in  early  times,  as  an  old  decayed  leaching- 
hopper  has  been  found  in  it.  A  story  is  related  by  some  of  the  first  set- 
tlers in  the  country,  that  a  man  of  the  name  of  Bt  an  once  made  nitre  at 
this  place  in  partnership  with  another  man,  who  he  is  said  to  have  killed 
in  a  quarrel.  This  circumstance,  it  is  believed,  caused  the  enterprise  to 
be  abandoned;  and  to  this  day,  the  cave  is  known  under  the  name  of  the 


OF    ARKANSAS. 


"Bean  cave."  It  is  about  thirty  feet  wide  at  the  entrance,  and  runs  back 
some  one  hundred  feet  or  more,  when  it  becomes  much  wider.  Its  height 
will  average  about  eight  feet.  The  walls  or  sides  of  this  cave  are  com- 
posed of  a  laminated,  tough,  ferruginous  clay,  the  laminae  having  a  varied 
color,  from  pale  yellow  to  dark  red.  The  upper  and  lower  portiens  of  thin 
laminated  clay,  forming  the  walls  of  the  cave,  are  partially  dry,  whilst 
the  center,  for  about  two  feet,  is  quite  damp.  Though  this  clay,  as  it  is 
dug  from  the  bed,  contains  a  considerable  quantity  of  nitre,  and  most  in 
the  upper  and  lower  part,  yet  it  is  only  after  it  has  been  broken  down  and 
left  on  the  bottom  of  the  ca\e  for  some  time,  that  it  acquires  sufficient 
nitre  to  be  worked  with  profit.  After  it  has  been  broken  down  in  the 
cave,  it  rapidly  loses  its  moisture,  and  crumbles  into  a  fine  powder.  A 
considerable  quantity  of  this  dry  earth,  equal  perhaps  to  one-third  of  the 
dimensions  of  the  cave,  is  found  on  the  sloping  sides  and  floor. 

These  nitre  earths  yield  from  3  to  6  per  cent,  of  salt-petre,  as  will  be 
seen  by  consulting  the  Reports  of  Dr.  D.  D.  Owen  and  Dr.  Elderhorst; 
the  red,  dry,  crumbled  earth  on  the  floor  being  the  richest  in  these  nitre 
salts. 

After  lixiviation  with  water,  this  earth  can  also  be  used  as  a  coarse 
paint,  being  nearly  free  from  grit;  it  contains  so  much  oxide  of  iron  as  to 
give  it  the  color  of  Spanish  brown,  the  depth  of  which  is  increased  by 
ignition. 

I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Flipping  that  a  drift  had  been  made  into  the 
laminated  clay  of  this  cave  in  search  of  lead,  and  that  some  little  was 
found,  but  not  sufficient  to  encourage  farther  investigation. 

About  one  hundred  yards  from  Bean's  cave,  in  the  same  bluff,  and 
occupying  the  same  level,  is  another  cave,  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  wide 
at  the  mouth,  and  nearly  as  many  feet  in  depth.  The  thickness  of  the 
deposit  of  laminated  nit-re  earth,  though  not  as  great  as  in  Bean's  cave,  is 
nevertheless,  from  four  to  seven  feet,  and  there  is  good  reason  to  believe 
that  the  earth  will  be  found  continuous  from  one  cave  to  the  other. 

There  are  several  other  nitre  caves,  of  less  extent,  and  filled  with  this 
same  description  of  earth,  reported  to  exist  in  this  bluff,  which  I  had  not 
time  to  visit. 

Messrs.  Smith  &  Co.,  of  Elgin,  Jackson  county,  Arkansas,  have  recently 
purchased  land  on  White  river,  including  these  caves,  and  made  arrange- 
ments for  the  manufacture  of  salt-petre  from  the  nitre  earth  which  they 
contain.  I  was  informed  by  one  of  the  partners,  when  at  Elgin,  last 
spring,  that  the  yield  of  nitre  was  fully  equal  to  their  expectations,  and 
they  were  quite  sanguine  that  it  would  prove  a  profitable  investment. 
He  stated  also  that  they  used  the  lye  for  evaporation  in  the  kettles,  with- 
15 


226  GEOLOGICAL    RECONNOISSANCE 

out  increasing  its  strength  by  passing  it  through  hoppers,  containing  fresh 
earth;  if  so,  the  expense  for  fuel  is  unnecessarily  increased.  To  evaporate 
the  lye  in  the  most  economical  manner,  it  should  be  brought  to  the 
strength  of  12  or  14  deg.,  by  passing  it  repeatedly  through  fresh  earth,  in 
order  to  extract  the  soluble  salts.  A  very  useful  instrument  for  ascer- 
taining the  strength  of  the  lye,  is  the  saltpetre  hydrometer. 

The  best  method  of  arranging  the  lixiviating  troughs,  or  casks,  is  to 
place  them  at  such  heights,  one  above  the  other,  that  the  lye  passing 
through  the  first  shall  run  into  the  second,  and  so  continue,  until  the  requi- 
site per  centage  of  saltpetre  is  obtained,  before  proceeding  to  the  boiling  and 
graining  process.  In  lixiviating,  no  more  water  should  be  used  than  is 
actually  necessary  to  extract  the  nitre;  and  lye,  under  12  or  14  deg.  of  the 
hydrometer,  should  be  returned  through  fresh  earth,  before  boiling,  until 
that  strength  is  obtained. 

There  can  be  np?doubt  that  works  properly  constructed,  and  judiciously 
and  systematically  managed,  will  produce  salt-petre  sufficient  to  make  it  a 
remunerative  business.  The  location  is  immediately  on  White  river,  which 
is  navigable  a.t  all  times,  as  high  up  as  Jacksonport,  and,  for  a  small  class  of 
steamboats,  during  the  greater  portion  of  the  year,  up  to  the  caves.  The 
mouth  of  the  cave  is  so  close  to  the  river  bank,  that,  by  means  of  a  chute, 
the  earth  can  be  very  conveniently  projected  to  the  river,  where  the  water 
for  lixiviation  can  be  easily  obtained.  Fuel  is  close  at  hand,  and  will  cost 
but  the  chopping  and  transportation. 

For  further  information,  in  regard  to  the  geology  of  this  county,  as  well 
as  for  the  particulars  of  the  analysis  of  the  nitre  earth,  see  the  Report  of 
Dr.  D.  D.  Owen,  State  Geologist,  and  also  that  of  the  Chemical  Assistant, 
Dr.  William  Elderhorst. 


CRAWFORD    COUNTY. 

After  separating  from  you  at  Van  Buren,  I  proceeded  to  examine  the 
coal,  on  Frog  bayou,  owned  by  Mr.  Phillips.  The  principal  opening  is  on 
the  west  half  of  south-west  quarter  of  section  18,  township  19  north, 
range  30  west,  being  one  mile  south  of  the  stage  road  leading  from  Van 
Buren  to  Little  Rock.  The  same  seam  is  also  opened,  on  this  bayou, 
about  one  mile  north  of  the  stage  road.  This  coal,  known  as  the  "  Phillips 
bank,"  is  one  foot  thick,  it  has  a  semi-metallic  lustre,  and  though  easily 
mined  in  large  blocks,  its  cohesion  is  so  slight  that  it  soon  breaks  into 
small  lumps  by  handling.  It  is  the  principal  coal  used  by  the  blacksmiths 
in  the  southern  part  of  Crawford,  and  the  greater  part  of  Franklin  county, 


OF  ARKANSAS  227 


and  is  in  good  repute  with  the  workmen.     By  analysis,  it  is  found  to  con- 
tain, in  100  parts: 

Volatile    matter 16.2    i  Moisture  •••••••;• 1-0 

/   Volatile   combustible  matter  15.2 

oo  ft    (  Fixed  carbon 80.8 

oo.o     {     A    ,  /       it         -i  ,\ 

Ashes,   (yellp wish-red) 3.0 


100.0  100.0 

It  belongs  to  the  class  of  semi-bituminous  coals,  and  is  free  from  earthy 
impurities,  as  shown  by  the  small  amount  of  ashes  in  the  analysis. 

As  a  fuel,  the  semi-bituminous  coals  are  in  high  estimation,  being  rich 
in  carbon;  and,  without  any  superflous  volatile  matter,  they  have  a  suffi- 
ciency of  gas  to  render  them  easy  of  ignition. 

On  Frog  bayou  this  coal  lies  under  a  bed  of  twelve  feet  of  blue  shale, 
which  has  to  be  removed  in  order  to  get  out  the  coal.  So  long  as  this 
coal  can  be  reached  by  this  amount  of  stripping,  it  can  be  obtained,  but 
not  without  considerable  expense,  which  will  be  greatly  increased  when 
it  shall  become  necessary  to  follow  it  by  a  drift,  as  much  waste  material 
will  have  to  be  removed  to  make  head  room  in  the  mine. 

The  black  shale  forming  the  roof  of  this  coal  contains  fossil  plants,  belong- 
ing to  the  genera  Hpidodendron,  sphcnopteris,  catamites,  and  pinularia,  and 
also  a  shell  belonging  to  the  genus  avicula,  of  which  only  a  fragment  was 
found,  too  imperfect  for  determining  the  species. 

At  the  Phillips  bank,  the  argillaceous  shale  is  all  that  can  be  seen  over 
the  coal;  but  the  following  section,  taken  in  the  hills  near  by,  shows  the 
overlying  beds: 

Top  of  the  hill,  soil  and  subsoil 

Thin  bedded  sandstone,  alternating  with  red  marly  clay,  (base  of 

millstone  grit) 25  feet. 

Blue  argillaceous  shale  with  segregations  of  carbonate  of  iron      60    " 

Black  bituminous  shale  with  fossil  plants-  •  • 1. 

Semi-bituminous  coal 1. 

Fire  clay 0.6 

87.6 

Thirteen  miles  from  VaiiBuren,  and  about  one  mile  north  of  the  stage 
road,  on  the  property  of  the  Messrs.  Herds,  a  mineral  spring  breaks  out  at 
the  base  of  a  hill,  from  beneath  an  exposure  of  bluish-colored,  rough, 
sheety  sandstone,  with  concretionary  markings.  The  water  comes,  most 
likely,  from  a  blue  shale,  which  is  concealed  below  the  surface;  as  strata 


228  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

of  this  character  were  reached  in  Mr.  Herd's  well,  twenty  feet  below  the 
surface,  and  a  similar  water  obtained. 

A  qualitative  chemical  examination  of  this  mineral  water,  at  the  foun- 
tain head,  showed  its  principal  constituents  to  be: 

A  small  quantity  of  free  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

{•  ulphate  of  soda  (glauber  salts). 

Sulphate  of  magnesia,  (epsom  salts). 

Chloride  of  sodium,  (common  salt). 

Chloride  of  magnesium. 

The  chemical  reactions  indicate  only  small  quantities  of  saline  matter. 
It  is,  therefore,  a  weak  saline  sulphuretted  water,  and  its  medicinal  pro- 
perties will  be  that  of  a  mild  laxative,  it  will  also  be  found  beneficial  in 
all  cutaneous  diseases. 

On  section  30,  township  10  north,  range  30  west,  at  Mr.  Etherly's  black- 
smith shop,  a  thin  coal  was  struck  in  digging  his  well,  overlaid  by  twenty 
feet  of  hard  blue  sandstone  and  blue  argillaceous  shale.  From  the  shale 
thrown  out,  specimens  of  lipidodendron  and  stigmaria  were  obtained. 
ThU  coal  is  most  likely  the  equivalent  of  the  Frog  bayou  coal,  or  another 
thin  seam  in  close  proximity. 

For  further  remarks,  on  the  geology  of  Crawford  county,  see  Report  of 
Dr.  D.  D.  Owen,  Stute  Geologist. 


FRANKLIN   COUNTY. 

The  millstone  grit  series  prevails  in  the  northern  part  of  Franklin 
county,  composed  of  conglomerates  and  thick-bedded  coarse  sandstones, 
flagstones,  and  red  and  blue  shales.  Only  thin  beds  of  coals  can  be  ex- 
pected to  be  discovered  in  such  materials  as  lie  below  the  true  productive 
coal  measures. 

A  slight  wave  in  the  strata,  carries  the  coal  of  Crawford  county  beneath 
the  surface  in  the  northern  part  of  this  county,  and  it  is  not  until  you  reach 
the  waters  of  Horsehead  creek,  in  Johnson  county,  that  this  coal  again 
makes  its  appearance  at  the  surface,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Arkansas 
river. 

One  and  a  half  miles  north-east  of  Benner's  mill,  near  William  Parker's 
house,  there  is  an  excellent  chalybeate  spring,  which  was  found  on  exami- 

» 

nation  to  contain: 

A  trace  of  free  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  £29 


Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesial 

Bi-carbonate  of  the  protoxide  of  iron. 

This  water  appears  to  contain  a  considerable  amount  of  oxide  of  iron, 
and  it  is  therefore  somewhat  remarkable  that  it  should  also  indicate,  with 
acetate  of  lead,  the  presence  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  a  combination  that 
can  only  exist  when  the  oxide  of  iron  is  held  in  solution  by  a  free  acid. 

This  water  will  have  a  tonic  effect,  combined  with  an  action  on  the 
skin  and  kidneys. 

At  and  near  Mr.  Parker's  spring,  is  seen  the  following  succession  of 
rocks:  coarse-grained  sandstone,  alternating  with  flagstones,  reddish-yel- 
low and  gray  shales;  in  all  about  two  hundred  feet.  In  the  gray  shales, 
ten  feet  above  the  spring,  there  is  a  thin  coal-dirt. 

On  Mulberry  river,  the  thick-bedded  sandstone  of  the  millstone-grit 
series  attains  a  thickness  of  more  than  three  hundred  feet.  From  the 
base  of  one  of  the  cliffs  of  this  sandstone,  on  Mulberry  river,  section  30? 
township  1 1  north,  range  28  west,  there  issues  a  saline  water,  from  a  fissure 
in  the  rock,  that  is  known  as  the  State  salt  spring.  This  spring  has  lately 
been  given  up  by  the  State  and  is  now  the  property  of  Messrs.  Basham  & 
Ward.  It  contains: 

Chloride  of  sodium,  (common  salt). 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

Bi-carbonate  of  the  protoxide  of  iron. 

Sulphates,  a  trace. 

This  is  a  weak  brine,  which  might  become  much  stronger  by  deep  bor- 
ing, as  it  occupies  the  same  geological  position  in  which  the  strongest 
brines  are  found  in  the  western  states. 

There  is  another  saline  spring,  reported  to  be  of  about  the  same  strength, 
situated  higher  up  on  Mulberry  river,  which  I  did  not  have  an  opportunity 
to  visit. 

The  qualitative  chemical  examination  of  a  mineral  water,  on  Spirit 
creek,  a  branch  of  Mulberry,  township  11  north,  range  28?  west,  resulted 
as  follows: 

Carbonate  of  the  protoxide  of  iron  (strong). 

Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 

Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 

This  is  a  good  chalybeate  water,  and  its  effects  will  be  that  of  an  active 
tonic. 

A  chalybeate  spring  was  also  examined  at  Mr.  William  Ham's,  on  Mul- 


I 
230  GEOLOGICAL     RECONNOISSANCE 

berry  river.     This  water  contains  the  same  ingredients  as  the  preceding 
though  the  oxide  of  iron  is  not  in  such  large  quantities. 

Between  Mr.  Ham's,  on  Mulberry  river,  and  Ozark,  the  following  sec- 
tion was  obtained: 

{Siliceous  flagstones 130  feet. 

Siliceous  iron  ore,  5  to 6.      " 

Yellow,  red,  and  gray  shales 60.      " 

Coal-dirt,  or  thin  decomposed  black  shale 1.      " 

Space  concealed,  to  bed  of  creek 60.      " 


257    feet. 

Agriculture. 

The  northern  part  of  Franklin  county,  though  much  broken,  contains  a 
large  amount  of  good  tillable  land  on  the  creek  and  river  bottoms,  which 
is  very  productive,  when  properly  cultivated.  The  principal  growth  of 
timber  is  white,  black,  and  redoak,  blackjack,  postoak,  and  hickory,  sweet 
and  black  gum. 

JOHNSON    COUNTY. 

A  number  of  openings  have  been  made  into  a  seam  of  semi-bituminous 
coal,  on  the  waters  of  Horsehead  creek,  in  Johnson  count}7".  The  princi- 
pal of  these  are  the  Wilmoth  coal,  section  18,  township  10  north,  range 
25  west;  Butts'  coal,  section  8,  township  10  north,  range  25  west;  Lee's 
coal,  section  15,  township  10  north,  range  25  west;  Flemming's  coal,  sec- 
tion 1,  township  9  north,  range  25  west.  These  coals  are  all  opened  in 
an  extensive  plateau  formed  by  the  easily-weathering  mass  of  shales 
underlying  the  massive  sandstones  of  the  millstone  grit  series,  which  are 
seen  prominently  capping  the  mountains,  a  short  distance  to  the  north. 

The  Wilmoth  coal  bed,  from  20  to  22  inches  thick,  is  worked  by  drift- 
ing; it  has  a  dip  of  6  or  8  degs.  to  the  south-east,  and  rests  on  a  dark  fire- 
clay bottom,  filled  with  stems  of  stigmaria.  In  mining  the  coal,  some 
eight  inches  of  the  roof  falls  down  and  has  to  be  carried  out,  which  gives 
a  head  room  equal  to  about  thirty  inches.  In  this  dark  earthy  looking 
shale,  is  found  a  small,  undescribed  species  of  fossil  shell,  belonging  to 
the  genus  modiola,  and  fragments  of  plants  belonging  to  the  genus 
pecopteris. 

A  section  of  650  feet  of  the  rocks  overlying  the  coal,  was  obtained  and 
is  here  given  in  the  following  section: 


OF  ARKANSAS.  231 


Millstone  grit  or  conglomerate,  a  massive  sandstone  in  three 
members,  with  shale  between,  and  forming  three  distinct 

benches  on  the  mountains,  in  all 350  feet. 

Vermicular  sandstone,  in  thin  beds,  with  remarkable  impres- 
sions    80  " 

Schistose  sandstone  with  intercalated  hard  bands 100  " 

Yellow  and  reddish  shales •  •  50  " 

Dark  argillaceous  shales 60  " 

Brown  earthy  shale  forming  roof  of  coal 0.8  " 

Whitish-gray  shale,  mottled  with  dark  spots 9  " 

Semi-bituminous  coal 1.10  " 

Fireclay 0.00  " 


650.9      feet. 

Mr.  Thomas  Butts  has  opened  this  coal  on  his  property,  where  it  is  18 
inches  thick,  and  dips  10  deg.  to  the  south-east.  It  is  here  overlaid  by  the 
same  character  of  shale  as  seen  at  the  Wilmoth  coal,  and  there  are  found 
in  the  roof  the  same  fossils. 

An  opening  has  also  been  made  into  this  vein  of  coal  at  Mr.  Russel 
Lee's.  The  spring  rains  had  filled  up  the  opening  so  that  the  coal  could 
not  be  seen,  and  Mr.  Lee  being  absent,  I  did  not  ascertain  its  thickness. 
I  believe  it  to  be  identical  with  Butts'  coal,  as  fossils  of  the  same  charac- 
ter occur  in  the  roof  shales  thrown  out  of  the  opening.  If  this  inference 
be  correct,  the  thickness  of  the  two  coals  will  probably  correspond. 

Mr.  Fleming's  coal  is  opened  on  a  little  branch,  which  runs  into  Horse- 
head  creek;  it  is  18  or  20  inches  thick,  and  is  mined  by  stripping  off  the 
roof.  The  overlying  shales  and  organic  remains  are  identical  with  the 
above.  It  is  undoubtedly  an  extension  of  the  Wilmoth  coal. 

Mr.  Hodges  has  opened,  and  works  by  stripping  this  same  vein  of  coal, 
two  miles  north  of  Clarksville.  It  is  here  18  inches  in  thickness,  and  the 
same  characteristic  fossils  were  found  in  the  shale.  At  this  locality  the 
coal  is  not  quite  so  free  from  sulphur  as  at  the  other  openings,  nor  will  it 
stand  exposure  to  the  atmosphere  as  well  as  the  coal  at  Mr.  Wilmoth's. 

The  coal  taken  from  the  different  mines  in  this  county,  meets  with  a 
ready  sale.  On  account  of  the  difficulty  experienced  in  working  so  thin 
a  vein  of  coal,  the  miners  receive  10  cents  per  bushel  for  raising;  and  it 
is  sold  at  the  bank  to  the  consumers  at  20  cents  per  bushel. 

At  Mr.  Hodge's,  the  coal  has  but  very  little,  if  any  dip,  and  it  is  only 
carried  above  and  below  the  drainage  of  the  country  by  local  undulations 
in  the  strata.  Though  the  coals,  at  these  various  openings,  differ  some- 
what in.  quality  and  appearance,  yet  I  believe  they  will  be  found  to  be  all 


232  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

an  extension  of  one  and  the  same  bed.  Experience  has  shown  that  local 
changes  in  the  composition  of  the  same  vein  of  coal  are  not  unusual,  and 
cannot  alone  be  relied  upon  as  a  means  of  identification.  The  organic 
remains  of  the  roof  shales  and  observations  on  the  superposition  of  the 
strata,  are  much  surer  guides  in  the  determination  of  the  position  of  bede 
of  coal. 

For  further  remarks  on  the  coals  of  Johnson  county,  see  the  Report  of 
Dr.  D.  D.  Owen,  State  Geologist. 

East  of  Clarksville,  and  north  of  the  Arkansas  river  bottoms,  the  heavy 
mass  of  dark  shales,  associated  with  the  coal,  disappear  beneath  the  sur- 
face, and  the  overlying  sandstone  becomes  the  surface  rock,  with  some 
intercalations  of  shale  towards  the  base.  The  siliceous  soil,  derived 
from  this  sandstone,  supports  a  growth  of  large  yellow  pines,  on  the  high 
ridges  between  Clarksville  and  D  wight  mission. 

Agriculture. 

The  tillable  up-lands  of  this  county  are  derived  principally  from  the 
shales  lying  below  the  main  mass  of  millstone  grit  rocks.  Sample  of 
soils  were  collected  for  chemical  examination,  from  Mr.  Arthur  Davis* 
farm,  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Clarksville,  where  the  growth  was 
principally  postoak. 

The  bottom  lands,  bordering  on  the  Arkansas  river,  are  highly  esteemed 
and  very  productive. 


POPE    COUNTY. 

The  geology  of  Pope  county  is  almost  a  counterpart  of  that  of  Johnson. 
The  northern  part  is  broken  and  mountainous.  The  mountains  are  com- 
posed of  massive  sandstones,  belonging  to  the  millstone  grit  formation  at 
the  summit,  and  thin-bedded  and  shaly  sandstones  at  the  base.  Near  the 
head  waters  of  Illinois  bayou,  the  upper  bed  of  sandstone  is  a  true  con- 
glomerate charged  with  pebbles,  huge  blocks  of  which  have  rolled  from 
above  into  the  valley  beneath. 

On  Indian  creek,  the  subcarboniferous  limestone  appears  beneath  these 
rocks,  interstratified  with  reddish  shales.  This  is  the  only  limestone 
observed  in  the  county. 

South  of  Dover,  between  Illinois  bayou  and  Galley  creek,  and  south  of 
the  Carrion  Crow  mountains,  the  country  is  comparatively  level,  where 
the  siliceous,  red  and  dark  argillaceous  shales,  having  no  capping  of  hard 


OF    ARKANSAS.  233 


sandstone  to  protect  them,  have  been  worn  away  and  filled  up  the  ine- 
qualities of  the  surface. 

Throughout  all  this  southern  part  of  the  county,  thin  beds  of  semi-bitu- 
minous coal  are  found.  One  of  the  principal  openings  for  coal,  is  in  the 
bed  of  the  Illinois  bayou,  near  Dwight  mission;  but,  at  the  time  of  my 
examination  of  this  county,  the  river  was  too  high  to  admit  of  its  being 
seen.  Mr.  Edwards  informed  rne  that  it  was  15  or  20  inches  thick.  The 
geology  of  the  adjacent  country  leads  me  to  believe  that  it  will  be  found 
to  occupy  the  same  geological  position  as  the  coal  described  on  Horse- 
head  creek,  in  Johnson  county. 

The  following  section  exhibits  the  succession  of  the  rocks  at  iur.  Ed- 
ward's dwelling,  Dwight  mission,  Illinois  bayou: 

Thin-bedded  sandstone,  top  of  the  hill aO  feet. 

Reddish,  ferruginous,  argillaceous  shale,  with  nodules  of  iron 

ore 60  " 

Shaly  argillaceous  carbonate  of  iron 3  to    5  " 

Dark    shale  with  fossil  plants,  lepidodendron  and  stigmaria-  •  2  " 

Band  of  sandstone  in  two  layers  (local) 2  " 

Alluvial  bottom 20  « 

Bed  of  Illinois  bayou-  •  •  •  - 0  " 

99   feet. 

The  shaly  argillaceous  carbonate  of  iron  in  this  section,  is  of  excellent 
quality  and  sufficiently  abundant  for  the  supply  of  smelting  furnaces.  It 
contains  32.2  per  cent,  of  metallic  iron,  and  is  similar  in  its  composition 
to  the  best  quality  of  the  ore  from  the  Cross  Basket  mines,  in  Scotland, 
used  at  the  Clyde  iron  works.  Iron  made  from  this  class  of  ores  is  of  the 
finest  quality,  combining  strength  and  ductility. 

This  description  of  ore,  will  no  doubt  be  found  at  many  other  localities 
in  the  vicinity  of  Dwight  mission,  and  must  eventually  attract  the  enter- 
prise of  the  iron  manufacturer,  from  its  vicinity  to  the  Arkansas  river 
and  proximity  to  large  forests  of  pine  timber,  and  to  the  workable  coals 
of  Johnson  county;  especially  the  Spadra  mines  described  in  Dr.  Owen's 
Report.  The  coal  which  is  exposed  in  the  bed  of  Illinois  bayou,  at  low 
water,  may  be  reached  by  a  shallow  shaft  at  the  base  of  the  section  at 
Dwight  mission,  and  may  be  worked  by  the  removal  of  8  or  10  inches  of 
the  shale  roof. 

Considerable  quantities  of  argillaceous  iron  ore  were  observed  in  the 
vicinity  of  Dover,  but  not  in  the  same  abundance  as  further  south. 


234  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

Six  hundred  feet  of  the  rocks,  exposed  in  section  in  the  Carrion  Crow 
mountain,  near  Mr.  Potts',  on  Galley  creek,  are  here  given: 
Millstone  grit  in  three  benches  of  thick-bedded  rock,  having 

shale  between — in  all  about 400       feet. 

Space  concealed  by  debris,  mostly  flagstone  and  shale-  •  •  •  •  140          " 

Argillaceous  shale 60          " 

Semi-bituminous  coal 1.3?     " 

Galley    Creek - 0          " 


001.3    feet. 

The  above  thickness  of  the  individual  members  will  be  subject  to  a  cor- 
rection for  a  slight  north-west  dip. 

Some  iron  ore  was  observed  in  the  Carrion  Crow  mountain,  under  the 
upper  bench  of  sandstone;  but  the  greater  portion  of  it  contains  too  much 
silica  to  be  considered  valuable  for  the  manufacture  of  iron.  The  coal 
at  the  base  of  the  mountain  has  the  same  appearance  as  the  semi-bitumi- 
nous coal  of  Frog  and  Illinois  bayous.  It  was  not  sufficiently  opened  to 
be  *een  well. 

Agriculture. 

The  cultivated  lands  lie  chiefly  in  the  southern  part  of  this  county,  east 
of  the  Illinois  bayou.  There  are  extensive  districts  of  level  tracts,  chiefly 
in  townships  0,  7,  8  and  9,  ranges  19  and  20  west,  that  are  very  produc- 
tive, especially  adapted  for  wheat.  The  soil  of  this  region. overlies,  and 
has  mostly  been  derived  from,  the  disintegration  of  the  reddish  and  dark 
shales  at  the  base  of  the  millstone  grit,  sufficiently  intermixed  with  sili- 
ceous washings  from  the  overlying  flagstones  to  correct  their  otherwise 
tenacious  and  refractory  character.  Samples  of  soil  were  collected 
from  John  P.  Langford's  land,  on  the  Illinois  bayou,  five  miles  north- 
east of  Dover.  The  timber  was  very  large  and  mostly  oaks  with  some 
hickory. 


OF  ARKANSAS.  J->35 


CONWAY    COUNTY. 

The  northern  part  of  Conway  county  is  skirted  bj  a  continuation  of  the 
same  chain  of  mountains  that  traverse  the  preceding  counties  of  Pope 
and  Johnson,  and  has  a  corresponding  geological  structure.  Sandstones 
of  the  millstone  grit  form  its  summit,  overlying  flagstones  and  shale. 
The  hills  diminish  very  much  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  seldom 
exceeding  three  hundred  feet,  and  are  composed  mostly  of  thin-bedded 
sandstones,  underlaid  by  reddish  siliceous,  and  dark  argillaceous  shales. 
In  the  level  portions  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  the  latter  shaly 
members  underlie  the  fine  tracts  of  grass  land,  which  affords  excellent  pastu- 
rage for  cattle. 

Thin  beds  of  coal  have  been  opened,  in  many  places,  on  the  waters  of 
the  Cadron,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  and  range  in  thickness  from 
4  inches  up  to  20  inches.  In  section  7,  township  5  north,  range  12  west, 
on  the  Black  fork  of  the  Cadron,  a  4  inch  seam  of  coal  is  intercalated 
amongst  the  shales.  It  is  a  more  solid  coal  than  those  beds  previously 
described,  in  Pope  and  Johnson  counties,  highly  bituminous  and  very 
black;  it  has  but  little  tendency  to  crumble,  and  breaks  with  a  smooth 
angular  fracture.  A  few  fossil  plants  were  found  in  its  roof  shale?, 
belonging  to  the  genus  pecopteris  and  ncuroptcns.  This  is  probably  a 
different  seam  of  coal  from  that,  before  mentioned,  on  Illinois  bayou  and 
the  waters  of  Horsehead  creek.  It  is,  however,  too  thin  a  seam  to  be  of 
much  commercial  value. 

Three  layers  of  subcarboniferous  limestone  crop  out  on  Turkey  creek, 
a  branch  of  the  Cadron,  in  all  four  or  five  feet  thick,  dipping  about  3  deg. 
south-east.  It  is  a  dark,  earthy-looking  rock,  containing  encrinite  stems 
and  indistinct  carboniferous  fossils.  This  is  the  only  limestone  that  has 
been  observed,  south  of  Little  Red  river  and  north  of  the  Arkansas  river, 
in  this  part  of  the  State;  as  this  rock  will  make  a  good  strong  lime,  it  is 
important  to  a  country  where  limestones  are  seldom  accessible. 

In  the  north-east  part  of  Conway  county,  close  to  the  Bull  mountain, 
the  dark  shales  under  the  millstone  grit  are  fractured,  dislocated,  and 
traversed  by  veins  of  quartz,  associated  with  talc  and  other  allied  mag- 
nesian  minerals;  the  shales,  for  some  distance  on  either  side  of  these 
veins,  are  indurated,  altered,  and  more  or  less  metamorphosed.  I  observed, 
at  one  locality,  an  almost  vertical  bank  of  dark,  siliceous  rock,  one  foot 
wide,  charged  with  iron,  and  possessing  a  cubical  structure,  the  blocks 


236  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

averaging  about  three  inches  by  two.  This  siliceous  vein  traverses  the 
disturbed  shales,  in  a  north-east  and  south-west  course,  for  several  miles. 
Where  these  quartz  veins  pass  through  the  property  of  Dr.  David  Lewis, 
in  section  24,  township  6  north,  range  11  west,  several  shallow  pits  have 
been  sunk  to  investigate  their  character.  All  that  were  discovered,  proved 
to  be  talcose  slates  and  fine  transparent  crystals  of  quartz,  three  or  four 
of  which  had  enclosed  a  drop  of  water.  These  pits  I  consider  too  shallow 
to  prove  the  metalliferous  character  of  the  veins.  The  apparent  con- 
nection of  these  veins  with  those  in  Pulaski  county,  which  contain 
argentiferous  galena,  leads  me  to  suspect  that  similar  ore  might  be  found 
at  a  greater  depth;  especially,  as  the  Bull  mountain  veins  reach  the 
surface  through  a  hard,  siliceous  slate,  which  overlies  the  metalliferous 
shales  in  Pulaski.  The  following  is  a  section  of  the  rocks  at  the  Bull 
mountain,  near  Dr.  Lewis'  house: 

Conglomerate,  thin-bedded  and  shaly  sandstones,  in  all 310  feet. 

Dark,  siliceous  shales,  with  bands  of  prismatic  shale,  much  dis- 
turbed, and  traversed  by  veins  of  quartz,  in  all 75     " 

385     " 

Near  the  mouth  of  the  Cadron,  veins  of  milky  quartz  are  found,  tra- 
versing the  millstone  grit;  this  appears  to  be  the  western  limit,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Arkansas  river,  of  that  subterranean  action  which  has 
filled  or  injected  the  slates,  south  of  the  Cadron,  in  Pulaski  county. 

At  Springfield,  the  county  seat  of  Conway  county,  a  qualitative  chemical 
examination  was  made  of  the  town  spring,  which  issues,  in  a  bold  clear 
stream,  from  the  reddish  and  dark-colored  shales  under  the  millstone  grit. 
It  proved  to  be  a  good  chalybeate  water,  possessing  decided  tonic  proper- 
ties.    The  principal  ingredients  are: 
Carbonic  acid; 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime; 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia; 
Bi-carbonate  of  the  protoxide  of  iron  (strong). 

Another  chalybeate  spring,  of  the  same  character,  occurs  at  the  Peach- 
orchard-gap,  in  section  20,  township  6  north,  range  10  west,  in  the  edge 
of  White  county,  and  belongs  to  Mr.  Elliott. 

Agriculture. 

The  most  important  tracts  of  arable  land,  occupy  she  southern  part  of 
the  county,  in  townships  6  and  7,  ranges  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  and  17,  on 
the  waters  of  the  Cadron  and  Point  Remove  creeks.  They  are  the  same 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


description  of  lands,  already  spoken  of,  in  the  south-east  part  of  Pope 
county,  and  have  been  derived  from  the  same  geological  formations. 

PULASKI    COUNTY, 

North  of  the  Arkansas  river,  the  strati  graphical  character  of  the  rocks, 
in  Pulasld  county,  is  very  much  the  same  as  that  previously  noted,  in  the 
counties  laying  to  the  west.  The  millstone  grit  still  forms  the  capping  to 
the  highest  hills,  while  the  cuts  in  the  valleys  have  laid  bare  the  reddish 
and  dark  underlying  shales,  which  seem  to  augment  in  thickness  to  the 
south  and  east;  while  the  sandstones  of  the  millstone  grit  appear  to 
become  more  schistose  in  structure. 

Imperfect  crystals  and  veins  of  amorphous  milk-white  quartz  have 
ramified  the  strata,  close  to  the  junction  of  the  sandstones  and  shales, 
near  Mr.  Irvin's,  and  not  far  from  the  stage  road  leading  to  Little  Rock, 
where  the  adjacent  walls  of  sandstone  and  shale  are  metamorphosed  for 
18  inches  on  each  side  of  the  veins,  but  especially  on  the  south  side,  where 
the  wall  is  slaty  and  micaceous.  The  whole  strata,  through  which  the 
vein  runs,  are  so  much  disturbed  that,  for  a  width  of  fifty  feet,  they  dip  35 
deg.  to  the  north  east,  with  a  north-west  and  south-east  strike.  Beyond 
this,  the  strata  gradually  assume  a  more  horizontal  position.  No  mining 
explorations  have  been  made  along  the  line  of  this  vein,  in  search  of 
metallic  ores;  though  I  believe  the  conditions  under  which  the  vein 
appears,  favorable  for  discoveries. 

The  hill  at  the  toll-bridge,  on  Palarm  creek,  is  220  feet  high,  measured 
from  the  bridge  floor,  which  is  about  30  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  creek. 
The  rocks  of  which  this  hill  is  composed,  are  thin-bedded,  soft,  brownish- 
colored  sandstones,  dipping  about  40  deg.  north-east,  and  intersected  with 
veins  of  milky  quartz.  On  the  surface  of  some  of  the  sandstones,  quar- 
ried out  to  improve  the  road  over  the  hill,  clusters  of  transparent  crystals 
were  found  attached.  The  upper  part  of  this  quartz-bearing  sandstone, 
which  caps  the  hill,  is  a  coarse-grained,  reddish  rock,  which  crumbles 
easily  to  sand. 

About  two  miles  west  of  Winfrey's  old  stand,  a  remarkably  hard,  black 
metamorphic  rock,  in  semi-crystalline  blocks,  traversed  by  numerous  fine 
veins  of  white  quartz,  crosses  the  road.  It  is  one  foot  wide,  and  dips 
about  35  deg.  north-east.  The  strata,  on  each  side  of  this  tilted  band, 
appear  to  be  nearly  horizontal. 

The  most  important  mineral  locality  which  has  yet  come  under  my 
observation,  in  Pulaski  county,  north  of  the  Arkansas  river,  is  situated  on 
Kellogg's  creek,  and  known  as  the  "  Kellogg  lead  mines."  The  principal 


238 


GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


mines  are  in  township  3  north,  range  11  west,  and  about  ten  miles  north 
of  Little  Rock.  When  first  discovered,  these  mines  created  considerable 
excitement,  and  the  right  of  mining  was  leased  by  the  proprietor  of  the 
land,  Mr.  Kellogg,  to  a  company,  who  were  to  hold  this  right  so  long  as 
they  paid  him  regularly  a  stipulated  amount  of  the  ore.  Some  forty  or 
fifty  tens  of  this  ore  were  mined  and  shipped  to  Europe,  for  the  purpose 
of  ascertaining  its  value.  J\o  account  was  ever  received,  at  the  mines, 
regarding  the  sale  or  disposition  of  this  shipment  of  ore;  and  the  company, 
whose  means  were  limited,  becoming  involved  in  debt  and  discouraged, 
finally  abandoned  the  enterprise. 

From  long  disuse,  the  shafts  from  which  this  ore  was  raised,  have 
become  filled  with  water,  rubbish,  earth  and  rocks,  washed  in  or  detached 
from  the  mouth  of  the  pits,  so  that  there  is  no  opportunity,  now,  of  inspect- 
ing the  condition  of  the  ore  in  place.  In  giving  an  opinion,  therefore,  in 
regard  to  these  mines,  we  have  to  judge  from  the  material  thrown  out, 
from  the  general  geological  structure  of  the  country,  and  from  information 
derived  from  Mr.  John  W.  Purdom,  who  lived  close  by  the  mines  at  the 
time  the  ore  was  mined.  It  appears  that  the  ore  was  found,  not  in  a 
single  vein  only,  but  occupying  a  number  of  veins,  which  traverse  the 
argillaceous  shales  under  the  millstone  grit  at  this  place;  these  seem  to 
have  very  much  the  same  distribution  and  relation,  as  those  previously 
mentioned  as  occurring  on  the  property  of  Dr.  Lewis,  at  the  Bull  moun- 
tain, in  the  north-east  part  of  Con  way  county,  as  well  as  those  observed 
near  Mr.  Irvin's  in  this  county. 

To  convey  a  clearer  idea  of  their  geological  relations,  I  subjoin  the 
annexed  vertical  diagram;  which  illustrates  not  only  the  succession  in 
Pulaski  county,  but  also  in  Conway  county: 

The  millstone  grit 
marked  (c),  at  the  top  of 
the  section,  occupies  the 
highest  position,  not  on- 
ly in  the  hills  adjacent 
to  the  mouth  of  Palarm 
bayou,  and  in  the  ridge 
dividing  the  waters  of 
that  stream  from  Kel- 
logg's  creek,  in  Pulaski 
county,  but  also  in  the 
Bull  mountain,  in  the 
north-east  corner  of 


w 

MG      MG 
MG 

MG      MG 

MG 

MG      MG 

MG 

e 

;IEjE£=u= 

200 

Millstone  grit,  200  feet  in  thicknerS. 

MG       MG 

MG 

MG      MG 

MG 



Conway  county. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


£39 


S 

U^-| 

MG 
MG 
MG      MG 
MG 
MG      MG 
MG 

Millstone  grit,  200  feet  in  thickness  —  Continued. 

r^^ZEEi: 

1     1     1     1 

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1 

15 

Siliceous   and   argillaceous    shales,    with   thin 
bands  of  hard  rock. 

III! 

___---___ 

—         — 

t_.-_--—  1 



—=-..:•-  — 

1 

s    1    s 

i  s  r 

s    |    s 

yrr 

40 

Thin-bedded  soft  sandstone. 

1 

— 

30 

Hard  shale. 

;  -££-:__ 

^.-~  — 

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lEEZEEE: 

you 

Argillaceous  shale,  traversed  by  metallic  veins. 

rr-*t= 

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The  underlying  silice- 
ous and  argillaceous 
shales  (d)  are  exposed, 
n  section,  on  the  Arkan- 
sas river,  near  Mr.  Ir- 
vin's,  at  Palarm  bayou; 
as  well  as  on  Bull  bayou, 
n  the  north-east  part  of 
Conway  county.  It  is 
through  them  that  the 
veins  of  quartz  reach  the 
surface,  on  the  property 
of  Dr.  Lewis,  in  Con- 
way  county,  and  near 
Mr.  Irvin's  in  Pulaski 
county.  Locally,  a  bed 
of  soft  sandstone  (c)  is 
intercalated  amongst 
these  shales,  succeeded 
by  thirty  feet  of  hard 
shale  or  slate,  (/;),  inter- 
sected with  lines  of  cross 
fracture,  probably  caus- 
ed by  shrinkage. 

The  lowest  stratum  (a) 
of  this  section  comprises 
the  shales  forming  the 
valley  of  Kellogg  creek, 
which  are  traversed  by 
a  system  of  metallifer- 
ous veins,  containing  a 
rich  silver-lead,  associat- 
ed with  quartz,  talc,  (tal- 
low rock  of  the  miners), 
copper  pyrites,  spathic 
iron,  and  blende.  The 
principal  veins  have  a 


course  nearly  east  and  west.  At  the  Kellogg  mines,  metalliferous  veins 
are  found,  occupying  a  belt  of  country  from  north  to  south,  of  more  than 
half  a  mile,  and  the  whole  system  of  quartz  veins  and  tilted  strata,  of 


240  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 

which  the  Kellogg  veins  form  a  part,  must  have  a  width,  in  the  same 
direction,  exceeding  twelve  miles. 

From  40  to  50  tons  of  silver-lead  ore  have  been  taken  out  of  one  of 
the  shafts  sunk  at  the  Kellogg  mines,  according  to  information  derived 
from  Mr.  Purdom,  and  one  lump  carried  to  Little  Rock,  as  a  sample, 
weighed  108  pounds.  In  following  the  vein,  this  shaft  was  carried  108  feet 
through  shales  (a)  of  the  section,  after  which  the  work  was  abandoned. 
The  vein  was  found  to  contain  more  or  less  lead  throughout  the  whole 
depth.  Another  shaft,  known  as  the  "  Well  or  Moreland  diggings,"  passed 
through  200  feet  of  the  same  shale,  which  still  continued  beneath.  This 
vein  also  afforded  a  considerable  amount,  of  argentiferous  lead,  associated 
with  the  minerals  before  mentioned  as  belonging  to  this  locality;  but  the 
amount  of  ore  taken  out  of  this  shaft  could  not  be  accurately  ascertained. 
Mr.  Purdom  was  of  opinion  that  it  had  not  produced  as  much  as  the  108 
feet,  or  "  Johnson  shaft."  A  large  quantity  of  copper  pyrites  was  found 
amongst  the  rubbish  thrown  out  of  these  shafts,  and  it  is  believed  that 
good  veins  of  this  ore  might  be  reached  by  following  the  veins. 

The  lead  and  copper  bearing  shales  of  Kellogg  creek  are  underlaid  by 
the  subcarboniferous  limestone,  which,  we  have  every  reason  to  believe, 
would  be  more  favorable  to  mine  in  than  the  overlying  shales;  besides, 
the  surface  indications  of  this  system  of  veins  give  evidence,  that  the 
deeper  they  are  followed,  the  richer  they  become;  for  the  quartz  veins  of 
the  Palarm,  which  I  conceive  to  be  an  extension  upwards  of  the  veins  of 
Kellogg  creek,  have  not  as  yet  yielded  any  ore,  either  of  lead  or  copper. 
I  believe  it,  therefore,  to  be  a  fair  inference,  that  the  deeper  the  veins  are 
followed,  the  richer  they  will  become;  more  especially  when  they  reach 
rocks  more  favorable  for  the  reception  of  ores. 

The  analysis  of  two  samples  of  lead,  from  the  Kellogg  mines,  gave  the 
following  result:  No.  1,  a  bright  crystalline  looking  ore,  gave,  by  reduc- 
tion, 81.7  per  cent,  of  metallic  lead.  By  cupellation,  this  lead  gave  a 
silver  bead  weighing  l.OG  per  cent,  of  the  lead  employed,  which  is  equal 
to  339.2  ounces  of  silver  in  a  ton  of  2.000  pounds. 

No.  2,  a  porous  fine-grained  ore,  with  particles  of  talc  disseminated, 
gave  73.45  per  cent,  of  metallic  lead;  this,  by  cupellation,  gave  0.7  per 
cent,  of  silver,  equal  to  224  ounces  in  a  ton  of  2,000  pounds. 

The  silver-lead  ores  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  worked  in  1852, 
according  to  Mr.  Hunt,  (as  quoted  in  Whitney's  "  Metallic  wealth  of  the 

United  States),"  ranges  as  low  as  6  ounces  of  silver  in  a  ton  of  lead;  the 
highest,  being  that  of  Devon,  contains  40  ounces  of  silver  in  a  ton  of  lead. 
The  Cardiganshire  and  Montgomeryshire  lead  ores  sometimes  contain  as 
much  as  75  or  80  ounces  of  silver  to  the  ton.  At  Wildberg,  in  Prussia, 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


the  lead  contains  80  ounces  of  silver  to  the  ton.  The  silver-lead  of  the 
Upper  Hartz,  belonging  to  Hanover,  contains  from  13  to  123  ounces  of 
silver  to  the  ton.  From  70  to  80  ounces  of  silver  is  obtained  from  a  ton 
of  the  argentiferous  lead  of  Obernhof,  in  Saxony. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  silver-lead  from  the  Kellogg  mines 
greatly  exceeds  in  richness  the  silver-lead  ores  of  Europe,  and  in  the  com- 
parison, leaves  a  margin  for  profits  so  broad,  that  no  doubt  can  be  enter- 
tained of  the  practicability  of  working  these  ores,  not  only  for  the  lead, 
but  the  silver. 

Why  these  mines  have  been  so  long  abandoned,  after  having  been  once 
partially  worked,  I  was  unable  to  learn.  The  situation  is  highly  favora- 
ble for  rich  lodes  of  metal,  not  only  silver-lead,  but  also  copper. 

If  the  property,  belonging  to  these  mines,  can  be  obtained  on  reasonable 
terms,  and  a  judicious  and  eoonomical  system  of  mining  instituted,  there 
can  be  but  little  doubt  of  a  profitable  result.  The  stratum  of  argillace- 
ous shale  is  easily  mined,  and  there  is  no  difficulty  in  sinking  a  shaft 
through  it.  From  the  increasing  thickness  of  the  shale  to  the  south-east, 
it  is  difficult,  at  present,  to  state  exactly,  what  the  total  thickness  of  the 
shales  on  Kellogg  creek  may  be,  before  reaching  the  limestone;  it  may, 
probably,  be  300  feet  or  upwards. 

The  qualitative  chemical  examination  of  the  Newton  spring,  on  the 
property  of  John  W.  Purdom,  in  section  26,  township  3  north,  range  12 
west,  8  miles  north  of  Little  Rock,  gave,  as  its  principal  constituents, 
Bi-carbonate  of  lime. 
Bi-carbonate  of  magnesia. 
Bi-carbonate  of  the  protoxide  of  iron. 

This  is  a  strong  chalybeate  water,  and  will  be  found  an  excellent  tonic 
for  patients  suffering  from  debility. 

Two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Mr.  Purdom's,  between  the  old  Batesville 
and  Memphis  roads,  there  is  a  large  body  of  bog-iron  ore,  which  will,  no 
doubt,  be  found  to  contain  sufficient  iron  to  pay  for  working,  judging  from 
its  appearance.  A  strong  chalybeate  spring  breaks  out  from  this  bed  of 
ore.  Several  persons  have  been  induced  to  sink  prospect  holes,  for  lead, 
in  this  vicinity;  all  of  which  reached  bog-iron  ore,  proving  this  ferrugin- 
ous deposit  to  be  extensive.  Its  thickness,  where  it  was  only  partially 
exposed,  is  two  feet.  This  is,  therefore,  a  locality  worthy  of  the  attention 
of  the  iron  manufacturer. 
16 


242  GEOLOGICAL   RECONNOISSANCE 

Agriculture. 

.Large  tracts  of  level  land  exist  over  the  area  of  the  above  mentioned 
shales,  from  which  the  soil  has  been  chiefly  derived  in  this  county.  Where 
the  reddish-colored  ferruginous  shales  of  this  group  prevail,  the  land  is 
productive  and  easily  cultivated;  but  where  the  purely  argillaceous  shales 
exist,  the  soil  is  stiff,  refractory,  and  inclined  to  be  sprouty,  and  difficult  to 
bring  into  a  good  condition  for  cultivation;  however,  when  subdued,  it 
becomes  fertile.  These  flat  clay  lands,  in  their  wild  state,  support  a  luxu- 
riant growth  of  "barren  grass,"  excellent  for  stock.  The  timber  is  mostly 
postoak  and  gum.  The  soil  of  the  hill  land  is  mostly  derived  from  the 
sandstone  of  the  millstone  grit  series,  and  is  easily  cultivated,  though  not 
so  productive  as  the  bottom  lands.  The  principal  growth  of  timber,  on 
the  highlands,  consists  of  \vhite,  red,  and  blackoaks,  black  hickory,  and 
black-jack  oak.  A  eet  of  soils  was  collected,  characteristic  of  the  latter 
lands,  from  Mr.  John  W.  Purdom's  farm,  in  section  36,  township  3  north, 
range  12  west. 


PRAIRIE    COUNTY. 

At  the  time  I  reached  this  county,  the  flies  were  found  to  be  so  numer- 
ous that  it  was  impossible  for  the  horses  to  travel  during  the  day;  conse- 
quently my  observations  in  this  county  have  been  limited. 

It  is  a  level  prairie  country,  as  its  name  implies,  and  its  substratum  is 
composed  of  the  orange-colored  sand  belonging  to  the  quaternary  period. 
The  only  solid  rocks  observed,  are  in  the  north- western  part  of  the  county, 
and  belong  to  the  millstone  grit  formation.  The  greater  portion  of  this 
county  is  well  adapted  for  cultivation,  and  though  mostly  open  prairie, 
there  are  considerable  bodies  of  good  timber  bordering  along  the  numer- 
ous small  streams  that  water  this  county.  There  is,  at  all  times,  an  inex- 
haustible supply  of  wild  grass,  for  stock,  and  large  droves  of  Mexican 
mustangs,  and  Texas  horses,  passing  through  the  country,  are,  annually, 
brought  to  this  county  to  recruit  upon  its  rich,  wild  pastures.  Samples  of 
soils  were  collected  from  the  John  Percifield  old  place,  in  the  Grand  prai- 
rie, seven  miles  from  Brownsville,  section  10,  township  2  north,  range  7 
west.  This  soil  is  said  to  be  excellent  for  small  grain,  and  will  produce 
twenty-five  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre.  It  is  not  so  good  for  corn,  the 
average  being  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  bushels  to  the  acre. 


OF  ARKANSAS. 


MONROE    COUNTY. 

West  of  White  river,  this  county  is  formed  of  high  level  prairie  lands, 
similar  in  character  to  the  lands  of  Prairie  county,  just  described,  except 
a  short  and  narrow  strip  bordering  on  White  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Aber- 
deen, which  is  broken  by  hills,  about  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  composed 
of  yellow  clay  and  orange  sand.  East  of  White  river,  in  this  county,  the 
land  is  generally  low,  and  much  cut  up  by  lakes  and  sloughs,  which,  in 
time  of  high  freshets,  overflow  large  tracts  of  country.  The  remaining 
portion  of  this  part  of  the  county  is  composed  of  ridges  that  never  over- 
flow, and  is  amongst  the  finest  cotton  land  in  the  state,  producing  1200  or 
1500  pounds  to  the  acre.  Soils  characteristic  of  this  land  were  collected 
from  Alfred  Mullen's  farm,  in  section  25,  township  1  north,  range  3  west. 
No.  2,  soil  fourteen  years  in  cultivation,  and  now  in  cotton.  The  princi- 
pal growth  of  timber,  in  this  section  of  the  county,  is  large  sweet-gum, 
elm,  hickory,  and  dogwood. 

I  did  not  see  any  solid  rock  formation  in  this  county. 


244  GEOLOGICAL  RECONNOISSANCE 


It  will  be  seen,  on  review  of  this  Report,  that  the  northern  part  of  the 
counties  lying  north  of  the  Arkansas  river,  are  bounded  by  a  chain  of 
mountains,  which  are  crowned,  on  their  summits,  with  massive  conglome- 
rate or  thick-bedded  sandstones,  locally  pebbly,  belonging  to  the  millstone 
grit  series.  These  massive  sandstones  are  underlaid  by  reddish  and  dark- 
colored  shales  of  great  thickness,  especially  towards  the  south-east,  as 
three  hundred  feet  have  actually  been  measured  where  they  still  extend 
beneath  the  drainage  of  the  country.  Tnin  seams  of  coal  are  found  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  dark  shales,  in  all  the  counties  from  Crawford  to 
Pulaski,*  one  of  these  veins  appears  to  be  persistent,  and  has  been  identi- 
fied, by  its  organic  remains,  over  a  great  extent  of  country.  Though 
often  interrupted  by  extensive  waves,  which  must  have  taken  place 
in  a  great  degree  before  the  deposition  of  the  superimposed  sandstones, 
the  general  horizontality  of  the  strata  is  well  preserved.  The  axis  of 
these  waves  appears  to  be  parallel  to  the  strike  of  the  strata,  and  the 
elevated  ranges  produced  from  this  cause  are  always  capped  with  the 
millstone  grit,  with  sometimes  one  or  two  hundred  feet  of  shale  over- 
lying it.  After  reaching  the  eastern  boundary  of  Pulaski  county,  the  dark 
underlying  shales,  with  the  incumbent  sandstones,  disappear  either  by 
dipping  to  the  south-east,  or  what  is  most  likely  the  case,  they  have  been 
removed  by  denudation,  and  buried  beneath  heavy  deposits  belonging  to 
the  quaternary  period. 

Permit  me  to  take  the  present  occasion,  to  acknowledge  the  many  acts 
of  kindness  experienced  at  the  hands  of  the  citizens  of  the  various  counties 
through  which  I  passed,  which  have  promoted  and  facilitated  the  objects 
of  the  Survey.  Where  these  are  numerous  and  universal,  it  would  be 
invidious  to  particularize  individual  ca^es. 

EDWARD  T.  COX, 

Assistant  Geologist. 

*  Though  I  did  not  see  any  coal  in  Pulaski,  I  was  credibly  informed  by  Mr.  Elliott,  that  he  had 
found  a  thin  seam  not  far  from  the  Kellogg  mines;  and  he  promised,  if  possible,  to  meet  me  at  the 
•lines  and  show  it. 


INDEX 


ACTINOCRINUS  in  chert 224 

Agassizocrinus  conicus 123 

Agate  in  Izard  county,  occurrence  of 44 

Amber  in  Poinsett  county,  occurrence  of 31 

Analysis,  methods  of .186-191 

Analysis  of  argentiferous  galena  from  Pulaski  county 240 

argillaceous  rock  imbedding  galena 176 

blende 155 

braunite 164 

coal 130,  227 

dolomite 174,  175 

galena 159,  160,  240 

lignite   177,  178 

limonite    170-172 

marionite    153 

nitre  earth 53,  54,  178,  185 

pearlspar 183 

potter's   clay 21 

psilomelane 161,  162  165 

red  clay  imbedding  zinc  ore 175 

shell-marl  from  Greene  county 27 

shell-marl  from  Kentucky 27 

smithsonite 148-153,  183,  184 

Spadra  coal 130 

wad 163 

water  from  Cobb's  well 181 

John  Robinson's  well 215 

Wm.  Lane's  well 29,  180 

J.  P.  Harris'  well 181 

Thos.  McElrath's  well 181 

a  spring  near  J.  Young's  farm 181 

a  mineral  spring  in  Crawford  county 228 

a  sulphur  spring  in  Washington  county 117,  1 19 

a  mineral  spring  on  Spirit  creek,  Franklin  county. 229 

a  chalybeate  spring  in  Franklin  county 228 

A.  S.  Stewart's  spring,  Greene  county 23,  180 

the  town  spring  of  Springfield,  Conway  county 236 

the  "  Mammoth  spring" 182 

the  Searcy  sulphur  spring,  White  county 71 

the  Black  sulphur  spring  of  Van  Buren  county 73 

the  Puce  spring,  Van  Buren  county 73 

the  Pennywit  sulphur  spring,  Crawford  county 126 

the  Rice's  spring 207 

the  State  salt  spring,  Franklin  county 229 

Newton  spring,  Pulaski  county 241 

of  St.  Francis  river 23,  180 


246 


INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Analysis  of  water  from  Kimble's  creek,  Madison  county 102 

of  White   river 181 

of  North  fork  of  White  river 181 

Analysis  of  yellow  ochre 22,  170 

Appendix  to  Chemical  Report 183 

Archimedes  limestone  of  Independence  county 34 

Argillaceous  rock  imbedding  galena,  analysis  of 176 

Avicula,  casts  of  in  shale 220,  227 

BALD  LICK  of  Van  Buren  county 72 

Bath  mine 211 

Bath  mine,  analysis  of  the  ore  from  the 149 

Bean's  nitre  cave 53,  224 

Beatty's  prairie  of  Benton  county 108 

Bee  rock  of  White  county 67 

Beech  branch  of  Cache  river,  section  on  the' 24 

Belgian  process  of  manufacturing  zinc " 157 

Bellerophon    116,  218 

Benton  county 103 

character  of  soils  of 104,  109 

Beatty's  prairie  in 108 

prospect  of  mining  operations  in 105,  109 

reported  existence  of  a  sulphur  spring  in 108 

succession  of  strata  in 105 

Big  spring  in  Independence  county 38 

Black  marble  of  Independence  county 35,  218 

Black  marble  of  Searcy  county 77 

Black  marble  of  Van  Buren  county 75 

Black  sand  lands  of  Greene  county 25,  28,  30 

Black  spice  lands  of  Jackson  county 32 

Black  wax  lands  of  Poinsett  county 31 

Blende,  analysis  of 155 

occurrence  of,  in  Independence  county 222 

Lawrence  county 63,  148 

Marion  county 55 

Pulaski  connty 239 

Boat  mountain  of  Carroll  county 88 

Boat  mountain,  section  of  strata  of 91 

Braunite,  analysis  of 1 64 

Brines,  where  best  reached  by  boring '38 

Buhr  millstone  of  Izard  county 44 

Buhrstone  of  Marion  county 53 

Buhrstone  chert  of  Izard  county 42,  43 

(See,  also  "  millstone.") 
Button  ore 221 

CACHE  LANDS,  character  of 25,  32 

Calamine,  the  zinc  works  at 210 

Calamiles,  in  shale  of  the  coal  measures 227 

Calcareous  spar  in  Carroll  county,  occurrence  of 58 

Calico  rock 43 

Camp  creek  hollow,  succession  of  rocks  in 44 

Camphorosma  resinosa,  or  rosin-weed 224 

Cardium,  casts  of,  in  shale 220 

Carroll  county 56,  87 

analysis  of  galena  from 1 60 

"  cotton-rock  "of 96,  97 

encrinital  marble  of » 56,  f7,  87,  97 

Huzza  prairie  of 94 

iron  ores  of 98 

lead  ores  of 56-58,  97 

Marshall's  prairie  of fc9,  94 

Pilot  Knob  of 95 

Pilot,  Stack  and  Boat  mountains  of 91 

reported  occurrence  of  copper  ore  in 95 

reported  occurrence  of  lead  ore  in 97,  98 

saline  exudations  in 91 

section  in  the  lead  region  of 57 

section  of  strata  of  Boat  mountain  of 91 

section  of  strata  of  hills  in  Prairie  township  of 9 


INDEX.  247 

PAGE. 

Cave,  Bean's  of  Marion  county 53 

Caves  in  Independence  county 38,  41 

Cavc.s  in  Washington  county 116,  120 

Chalk  bluff,  section  of  the  quaternary  beds  at 20 

Chalk  bluff,  potter's  clay  at  the,  use  and  analysis  of 21 

Clay,  potter's,  of  Greene  county 21,  202,  203 

Clay,  red,  analysis  of 175 

Coal,  analysis  of,  of  Crawford  county 227 

Coal,  analysis  of,  of  Johnson  county 130 

Coal,  occurrence  of,  in  Comvay  county 235 

Crawford  county 226 

Johnson  county 129,  230 

Madison  county 99 

Pope  county 233 

Washington  county 113,  115,  118,  120 

White  county 69 

Coal,  reported  occurrence  of,  in  Crawford  county 123 

Coal,  reported  occurrence  of,  in  Van  Buren  county 75 

Coal,  Spadra,  of  Johnson  county 129 

analysis  of 130 

general  remarks  on , 1 37 

practical  value  of 132,  133 

Commercial  value  of  the  ores  of  manganese 165 

Constitution  of  the  ores  of  manganese 167-169 

Con  way  county 235 

analysis  of  the  town  spring  of  Springfield,  in 236 

evidences  of  the  disturbance  of  strata  in 235 

limestone  in 235 

occurrence  of  coal  in 235 

occurrence  of  talc  and  allied  minerals  in 235 

prospect  for  the  occurrence  of  argentiferous  lead  ores  in 236 

section  of  strata  in 238 

Copper  ore,  occurrence  of,  in  Carroll  county 95 

Fulton  county 223 

Independence  county 220 

I/ard  county 45 

Lawrence  county 208 

Marion  county 55 

Pulaski  county 239 

Cotton-rock  of  Carroll  county 96 

County  of  Benton 103 

Carroll 56,  87 

Conway 235 

Crawford 123,  226 

Franklin 228 

Fulton 59,  222 

Greene 19,  201 

Independence 33,  216 

Izard 41 

Jackson   32,  215 

Johnson 129,  230 

Lawrence 63,  208 

M  idison 99 

Marion 45,  224 

Monroe 243 

Newton 81 

Poinsett 30 

Pope 232 

Prairie 242 

Pulaski    237 

Randolph 205 

Searcy 76 

Van  Buren 72 

Washington 110 

White 67 

Crawford  county 123,  22t! 

analysis  of  the  water  from  a  spring  in 228 

Natural  dam  of 123 

occurrence  of  coal  in '22(> 

occurrence  of  iron  ore  in 12o 


248  INDEX- 

PACK. 

Crawford  county,  Pennywit  sulphur  water  of 126 

reported  occurrence  of  coal  in 123 

section  of  strata  near  Phillip's  coal  bank  in 227 

section  of  strata  near  Van  Buren,  in 125 

Crowley's  ridge,  productiveness  of  the  soils  of 23 

Cupriferous  pyrites  in  lignites  of  Greene  county 25 

Cytherea,  in  limestone 41 

DAM,  natural,  of  Crawford  county 123 

Determination  of  nitric  acid,  method  for  the 190 

Dislocation  of  strata  in  Searcy  county 79 

Dislocation  of  strata  in  White  county 71 

Disturbance  of  strata  in  Conway  county,  evidences  of  the 235 

Dolomite,  analysis  of 174,  175 

Dolomite,  method  of  analysis  of 190 

EARTH-cracks  in  Greene  county 202 

Earth-cracks  in  Poinsett  county 31 

Etsenkalkstein  in  Washington  county 118 

English  method  of  manufacturing  zinc 157 

Euomphalus  in  limestone 116 

FAVOSITE  in  limestone 121 

Ferruginous  shales  of  Independence  county 218 

Ferruginous  shales  of  Madison  county 102 

Fishes,  teeth  of,  in  shale 220 

Formation,  cretaceous,  not  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  the  State 26,  31,  32 

Formations,  the  three  leading,  of  the  northern  counties  of  Arkansas 135 

Franklin  county 228 

analysis  of  several  mineral  springs  of 229 

section  of  strata  on  Mulberry  river  in 230 

Freestone,  occurrence  of,  in  Van  Buren  county 75 

Freestone,  occurrence  of,  in  Washington  county. 120 

Fulton   county .' 59,  222 

character  of  the  soils  of 223 

Mammoth  spring  of 60 

Pilot  knob  of 223 

occurrence  of  copper  ore  in 223 

of  iron  ore  in 62,  223 

of  lead  ore  in 223 

section  near  the  Rapp  barrens  in 59 

white  sandstone  of 62,  223 

GAINESVILLE,  lead  ore  in  the  vicinity  of 24 

Gainesville,  lignite  in  the  vicinity  of 24 

Galena,  method  pursued  in  the  analysis  of 191 

(See  lead  ore.) 

General  summary,  inferences,  and  remarks  in  conclusion 135 

Genessee  slate,  probable  equivalents  of 97 

Geological  map  of  the  State,  importance  of  the  construction  of  a 139 

Grological  survey,  importance  of 11 

Geological  survey  of  Kentucky,  results  of 13 

Gold,  reported  occurrence  of,  in  White  county 68 

Grandfather  knob  of  Carroll  county 97 

Greene  county 19,  201 

black  sand  lands  of 25,  28  30 

character  of  soils  of 204 

earth  cracks  in 202 

mineral  and  agricultural  resources  of 203 

occurrence  of  lead  ore  in 24,  30 

of  yellow  ochre  in 22,  202,  203 

potter's  clay  of 21,  202,  203 

quarternary  shell  -marl  of 26,  27 

quartzose  sandstone  of 28,  29 

selenite  in 202 

succession  of  strata  near  J.  W.  Pyne's,  in 202 

Hoppe  mine,  analysis  of  the  ore  from  the 148 

mode  of  occurrence  of  the  zinc  ore  at  the 211 

Houghton's  diggings 209,  210 


NDEX.  249 

Huzza  prairie,  of  Carroll  county,  soils  of  the 94 

Hypogene  rocks,  not  observed  north  of  the  Arkansas  river 135 

IMPORTANCE  of  geological  surveys j  1 

Impressions,  curious,  in  sandstone 114,  125 

Impressions  of  leaves  in  quarternary  sandstone 25,  29 

Independence  county 33,  216 

analysis  of  the  zinc  ores  of 183 

Big  spring  of 38 

black  marble  of , 218 

character  of  soils  of 40,  229 

cotton-rock  of 221 

ferruginous  shale  of 219 

millstone  rock  of 217 

occurrence  of  ores  of  copper  in 220 

iron  in 40,  217 

lead  in 222 

manganese  in 39,  221 

zinc  in 229 

oolitic  limestone  of 220 

salt-petre   cave  of 38 

section  ot  strata  in 216 

white  sandstone  of 38,  41,  221 

Indigo  knob  of  Carroll  county 97 

Introduction 9 

Introductory  letters 5,    145,  196 

Iron  manufactured  in  Lawrence  county  quality  of  the 213 

Iron  ore,  analysis  of 170-173 

occurrence   of,  in  Carroll  county 98 

in  Crawford  county 125 

in  Fulton  county 62,  223 

in  Independence  county 40,  217 

in  Lawrence  county 213 

in  Madison  county 102 

in  Pope  county 233,  234 

in  Pulaski  county 239,  241 

in  Randolph  county 206,  207 

in  Van  Buren  county 72 

in  Washington  county 112,  116,  120 

in  White  county 68,  69 

table,  showing  the  richness  of  the  different  kinds  of 173 

where  most  abundant ,~. . 137 

Izard   county 41 

agate  and  hornstone  in 44 

buhr  millstone   of 44 

limestones  of 41,  42,  44 

occurrence  of  copper  ore  in 45 

reported  occurrence   of  manganese  ore  in 44 

of  silver  ore  in 43 

soils  of 42 

Terra  Sienna  of 44 

white  sandstone  of 41-43 

JACKSON  county 32,  215 

black  spice  land  of 32 

character  of  northern  part  of 215 

of  soils  of 215 

Johnson  county 129,  230 

occurrence  of  coal  in 230 

section  of  strata  in  the  coal  region  of 231 

on  Spadra  creek,  in 129 

Spadra  coal  of 129 

KELLOQG   lead    mines 237-241 

Kentucky,  results  of  the  geological  survey  of 13 

Kimble's  creek,  analysis   of  the  water  of 102 

Koch  mine 211 

Koch  mine,  analyses  of  the  ore  from  the 151 

L'ANGUILLE  bottom  of  Poinsett  county 30 

L' Anguille  bottom,  wells  sunk  in 31 


250  INDEX. 

PAGE. 

Lawrence   county 63,  208 

analysis  of  a  lead  ore  from 160 

analysis  of  the  zinc  ores  from 147—151,  184 

character  of  the  soils  of 214 

millstone  rock  found  in 213 

mode  of  occurrence  of  the  zinc  ore  in 211 

occurrence  of  ores  of  copper  in 208 

of  iron  in 213 

of  lead  in 63,  209 

of  zinc  in 63,  210-212 

section  of  strata  in 208 

section  of  strata  at  Calamine  in 211 

Lead  mines  of  Missouri,  description  of  the 105-107 

Lead  ore,  analysis  of  the,  of  Carroll  county 160 

of  Lawrence  county 160 

of  Marion  county 159 

of  Pulaski  county 240 

argentiferous,  occurrence  of,  in  Pulaski  county   237-241 

argentiferous,  prospects  of  the  occurrence  of,  in  Con  way  county 236 

general  remarks  on 136 

occurrence  of,  in  Carroll   county 56-58 

in  Fulton  county 223 

in  Greene  county 24,  30 

in  Independence  county 222 

in  Lawrence   county 63,  209 

in  Madison  county 103 

in  Marion   county 46-48,  52,  53,  55,  225 

in  Newton  county 82 

in  Searcy   county 79 

in  Washington    county 122 

reported  occurrence  of,  in  Carroll  county 97,  98 

reported  occurrence  of,  in  Madison  county 100 

probable  occurrence  of,  in  Washington  county Ill 

tabular  view  of  the  composition  of  the 160 

Lee's  mountain,  in  Marion  county , 51 

Lepidodendron  11 5-227 

Lignite,  analysis  of 177,  178 

Lignite,   of  Greene  county 24 

Lignite,   of  Poinsett  county 31 

Limestone,  Archimedes 34,  36,  77 

incrinital  and  marble-. . . : 56,  57,  77,  87 

marble-  of  Marion  county 45,  51 

of  Newton   county 81 ,  84 

of  Independence  county 218 

(See,  also,  Marble.) 

Limestone,  occurrence  of,  in  Conway  county 235 

Limtstoue,  oolitic,  of  Independence   county 220 

Limestone,  pyritiferous,  of  Washington  county 216,  218 

Limonite,  analysis  of 170-172 

Limonite,  method  of  analysis  of 189 

LinynLa  in  sandstone 218 

casts  of,  in  shale 220 

MADISON  county 99 

analysis  of  water  of  Kimble's  creek,  of 102 

ferruginous  shale  of 102 

occurrence  of  iron  ore  in 102 

occurrence  of  lead  ore  in 103 

occuri  ence  of  coal  in 99 

prospect  of  mining  operations  in  south-east  part  of 100 

reported  occurrence  of  lead  ore  in 100 

section  of  strata  on  Warton's  creek,  in 101 

Mammoth  spring,  of  Fulton  county 60 

reported  occurrence  of  iron  ore  near  the 62 

Manganese  ores,  analysis  of 161—165 

commercial  value  of  the 165 

general  remarks  on  the 136 

of  Arkansas,  their  value  as  compared  with  the  manganese  ores  of  other 

countries 1 66 

of  Independence  county 39,  221 

reported  occurrence  of,  in  Izard  county 44 


INDEX.  251 

PAGE. 

Manganese  ores,  method  pursued  in  their  analysis 188 

their  chemical  constitution 167 

Manure,  gypsiferous  deposit  in  Greene  county,  valuable  as  a 202,  203 

Manure,  gypsiferous  shale  of  Washington  county,  valuable  as  a 113 

Marble,  black,  of  Independence  county 35,  218 

of  Van  Buren  county 75 

of  Searcy  county 77 

encrinital,  of  Carroll   county 56,  57,  87,  97 

-limestone,  of  Newton  county 81 ,  84 

-rock,  where  most  abundant 137 

variegated,  of  Marion  county 45,  51 

Marion  county 45,  224 

analyses  of  the  ores  of  lead  of 1 59 

analyses  of  the  ores  of  zinc  of 151-1 55 

buhrstone  of 53 

manufacture  of  salt-petre  in 2% 

nitre-caves  of 53,  224,  2  >5 

marble  limestones  of 45  ;>1 

occurrence  of  ores  of  copper  in 55 

of  lead   in 46-4b,  52,  53,  55,  225 

of  zinc  in 53,  55 

sandstone  of 45,  51 

section  of  strata  in  the  lead-region  of 48 

Marionite,  description  and  analysis  of 153 

Marionite,  formula  of 154 

Marl,  shell-,  of  Greene  county,  analysis  of 27 

Marl,  shell-,  of  Kentucky,  analysis  of iJ7 

Marshall's  prairie 89 

Marshall's  prairie,  character  of  soil  of 94 

Mattener's  knob 43 

Methods  of  analysis 186-191 

Metamorphic  rocks  in  Pulaski  county,  occurrence  of ....  237 

Millstone  grit,  its  vast  extent  in  northern  Arkansas 137 

Millstone  grit  and  the  subcarboniferous  limestones,  boundary  between  the 137 

Millstone  rock  of  Independence  county 217 

Millstone  rock  of  Lawrence  county 213 

Mining  operations,  prospect  of,  in  Benton  county 105,  109 

in  Newton  county 84 

in  south-east  part  of  Madison  county 100 

in  the  north-east  part  of  Arkansas 108 

Missouri,  description  of  the  lead  mines  of 105-107 

Mitchell's  hill,  section  on , 50 

Modlola,  in  shale  of  coal  measures 230 

Monroe  county 243 

Monroe  county,  general  character  of 243 

Morell  prairie,  soil  of 31 

Mounds  in  Washington  county,  origin  of 112 

NAKED  JOE  of  Izard  county '. 43 

Natural  dam  of  Crawford  county 123 

Nautilus  in  chert 224 

Nautilus  ferratus 68 

Neurop teris  in  shale  of  coal  measures 235 

Newton  county 81 

analysis  of  nitre  earth  from 185 

marble-limestone  of 81,  86 

nitre  caves  of 84-86 

occurrence  of  lead  ore  in 82 

prospect  of  mining  for  lead  in    84 

section  of  strata  near  the  mouth  of  Cave  creek,  in 83 

Nitre  cave,  Bean's,  of  Marion  county 53,  224 

of  Independence  county 38 

of  Newton  county 84-86 

reported  occurrence  of  a,  in  Washington  county 110 

Nitre  determinations  in  nitre  earths  from  Marion  county 179,  1  ^0 

Nifa-e  earth,  analysis  of,  from  Newton  county 185 

from  Bean's  cave 53,  54 

from  Marion  county 1 78 

Nitre  earth,  fatty  principle  in,  from  Thompson's  cave 86 

Nitre,  manufacture  of,  in  Marion  county 225 


252  INDEX. 

PAGB. 

Nitric  acid,  method  for  the  determination  of 190 

Nucula 116,  318 

OCHRE,  yellow,  from  Greene  county 22,  25,  202 

Ochre,  yellow,  analysis  of 22,  170 

Ochre,  yellow,  use  of 22,  203 

Oil-trough  bottom,  character  of  soil  of 33 

Oil-trough  ridge,  section  of  strata  of 34 

Orthis 208,  218 

Orthis  crinistria 98,  103 

Orthoceras 20«,  220 

Palaeontology,  importance  of 139-141 

Pearlspar,  analysis  of 183 

Pccoptfris  in  shale  of  coal  measures 230-235 

Pilot  knob  of  Carroll  county 95 

Pilot  mountain  of  Carroll  county 88 

Pine,  diggings  for  silver  ore  at  the,  in  Greene  county 22 

Pinularia  in  shale  of  coal  measures 227 

Platicrinus 224 

Poinsett  county 30 

amber  found  in 31 

black  wax  lands  of 31 

earthcraks  and  sandblows  in 31 

lignite  of 31 

sandstone  of 31 ,  32 

Pope  county 232 

character  of  soils  in 234 

occurrence  of  coal  in 233 

occurrence  of  iron  ore  in 233,  234 

section  of  strata  on  Galley  creek,  in 234 

section  of  strata  on  Illinois  bayou,  in 233 

Potter's  clay  in  Greene  county 21,  202,  203 

Powhatan,  zinc  ore  found  in  the  streets  of 212 

Prairie  of  Benton  county,  character  of  soil  of 104 

Beatty's 108 

Huzza 94 

Marshall 89,  94 

Morell,  character  of  soil  of 31 

Prairie  county 242 

Prairie  county,  general  character  of,  and  its  soil 242 

Productal  limestone  of  Independence  county 35 

Productus 78,  218 

cora  in  limestone 116,  121,  218 

elegans 100,  218 

punctatus  in  chert 104 

Psilomelane,  analysis  of . .    161,  162,  165 

Psilomelane,  method  of  analysis  of 188 

Psilomelane,  occurrence  of,  in  Independence  county 39 

Pulaski  county 237 

analysis  of  argentiferous  lead  ore  of 240 

analysis  of  the  Newton  spring  of 241 

character  of  soils  of 242 

Kellogg  lead  mines  of 237,  241 

metamorphic  action  observable  in  the  strata  of 237 

occurrence  of  blende  in 239 

of  copper  ore  in 239 

of  iron  ore  in 239,  241 

of  lead  ore  in 237 

section  of  strata  in 238 

Pyrites,  yellow  cupriferous,  in  lignite  of  Greene  county 25 

Quaternary  sandstone,  impressions  of  leaves  in 25,  29 

Quartz  veins,  occurrence  of,  in  Conway  county 235 

Quartz  veins,  occurrence  of,  in  Pulaski  county 237 

Randolph  county 205 

agricultural  resources  of 207 

occurrence  of  iron  ore  in 206,  207 

Rice's  spring  of S07 


INDEX.  253 

PAGE. 

Randolph  county,  section  of  strata  in 206 

Raney  mine 211 

Red  clay  imbedding  zinc  ore,  analysis  of 175 

Red  soil  of  White  county,  character  of 69 

Rice's  spring » 207 

Rocks  associated  with  the  ores  of  zinc  and  lead,  analysis  of  the    174-177 

Rock  houie  in  Newton  county 86 

Rosin- weed  in  Marion  county F 224 

Round-top  peak  of  the  Judah  mountain 81 

SACCHAROIDAL  sandstone  of  Missouri,  equivalent  of  the 42 

Saline  exudations  in  Carroll  county 91 

Salt-petre.     See  nitre. 

Sandblows  in  Poinsett  county 31 

Sandstone,  quartzose,  of  Greene  county 28,  29 

quaternary,  of  Greene  county 25,  29 

of  Carroll  county 57,  67 

of  Independence  county f  5 

of  Marion  county 45,  51 

of  Izard  county 41,  42,  43 

of  Poinsett  county 31,  32 

of  White  county 68,  69,  70,  7i 

flaggy,  of  Searcy  county 78 

saccharoidal,  equivalent  of  the 49 

white,  of  Fulton  county 6Q 

white,  of  Independence   county 38-41 

with  vermicular  impressions 70 

Searcy  county 7(5 

black  marble  of 77 

flaggy  sandstone  of 78 

occurrence  of  lead  ore  in 79 

section  of  strata  on  the  Carrollton  road  in 79 

section  of  strata  in  Wiley's  Cove,  of 77 

Section  of  strata  on  Spadra  creek,  Johnson  county 189 

on  Mitchell's  hill 50 

in  the  lead  region  of  Carroll  county 57 

in  the  lead  region  of  Marion  county 48 

near  the  Rapp  barrens,  Fulton  county 59 

in  Wiley's  Cove,  Searcy  county 78 

on  Carrollton  road,  Searcy  county 79 

near  the  mouth  of  Cave  creek,  Newton  county 83 

of  the  Boat  mountain,  Carroll  county 9l 

of  hills  in  Prairie  township,  Carroll  county 97 

on  Warton's  creek,  Madison  county 101 

of  the  subcarboniferous  group  of  Washington  county Ill 

near  Fayetteville,  Washington  county 114 

on  Middle  fork  of  White  river,  Washington  county 117 

on  East  fork  of  Illinois  river,  Washington  county 119 

on  Cane  hill,  Washington  county 120 

on  College  hill,  Washington  county 121 

in  Vineyard  township,  Washington  county 123 

near  Van  Buren,  Crawford  county 125 

in  Randolph  county 206 

in  Lawrence  connty 208 

at  Calamine,  Lawrence  county 211 

in  Independence  county 216 

near  Phillip's  coal  bank,  Crawford  county 227 

on  Mulberry  river,  Franklin  county. 2SO 

in  coal  region  of  Johnson  county , 231 

on  Illinois  bayou,  Pope  county 2S3 

on  Galley  creek,  Pope  county 224 

in  Pulaski  and  Conway  counties 238 

Seienite 113,  203 

Shale,  gypsiferous  of  Washington  county 113 

ferruginous 102,  219 

hard,  of  Beuton  county 104 

Shell-marl,  quaternary,  of  Greene  county , 26,  27 

Shield's  bluff,  section  at ci 

Silesian  method  of  manufacturing  zinc 158 

Silex,  its  abundance  in  northern  Arkansas Io7 

Silurian  period,  rocks  of  the  upper,  not  occurring  in  the  northern  counties  of  Arkansas 135 


254  INDEX. 

PAGE. 

Silver,  in  the  lead  ore  of  Marion  county 159 

Pulaski  county 136,  240,  241 

Silver,  richness  of  the  Arkansas  lead  ores  in,  compared  with  the  richness  of  the  ores  of  other 

countries. y 136,  161,  240,  241 

Silver  ore,  reported  occurrence  of,  in  Izard  county 45 

Sister  hill  of  Carroll  county 9'f 

Smithsonite,  analysis  of 148-153,  183,  184 

method  of  analysis  of 186 

occurrence  of,  in  Lawrence  county 63 

Marion  county 55 

Soils  of  Greene  county,  character  of 204 

Randolph  county,  do    207 

Jackson  ccunty,  do    215 

Lawrence  county,  do    214 

Independence  county,    do 222 

Fulton  county,  do    , 223 

Pope  county,  do    234 

Prairio  county,  do    242 

Pulaski  county,  do    242 

Crowley's  ridge,  productiveness  of 23 

Spadra  coal  of  Johnson  county 129 

Sphrnonteris  in  shale  of  coal-measures 227 

Spirifcr 78,  98,  218 

siriatus , 105,  224 

Sprin"-,  analysis  of  water  of  Rice's 207 

of  A.  L.  Stewart's 23,  180 

of  a,  in  Crawford  county 228 

of  a  chalybeate,  in  Franklin  county 228 

of  the  State  salt,  in  Franklin  county 229 

of  a  mineral,  on  Spirit  creek,  Franklin  county 229 

of  the  town-,  of  Springfield,  Conway  county 236 

of  Newton  and  Pulaski  county 241 

Puce,  of  Van  Buren  county. 73 

Eye,  of  Van  Buren  county 73 

Black  sulphur,  of  Van  Buren  county 73 

Big,  of  independence  county 38 

Mammoth,  of  Fulton   county 60,  182 

sulphur,  of  Washington  county 117,  119 

chalybeate,  of  Washington  county 119 

Pennywit  sulphur,  of  Crawford  county 126 

Stack  mountain  of  Carroll  county 88 

Stigmaria  ficoides •  •  •     68 

St.  Francis  river,  analysis  of  water  of •">  »« 

Subcarboniferous  limestones,  boundary  between  the  millstone  grit  and  the 137 

Succession  of  strata  in  Benton  county 105 

Succession  of  strata  near  J.  W.  Pyne's,  Greene  county • 202 

Sugar  loaf  hill  of  Marion  county 50 

Sugar  loaf  mountain  of  Van  Buren  county 72 

Sulphate  of  lime,  crystals  of,  in  Washington  county 113 

Sulphates  of  iron  and  alumina,  exudations  of,  in  Carroll  county 91 

Sulphur  springs  of  Washington  county 117,  119 

Sulphur  spring,  Pennywit,  of  Crawford  county 126 

Sulphur  spring,  reported  existence  of,  in  Benton  county 108 

Sulphuret  of  copper,  see  copper  ore. 
of  lead,  see  lead  ore. 
of  zinc,  see  blende. 
Summary,  general,  inferences  and  remarks  in  conclusion 135 

TABLE,  showing  the  richness  of  the  zinc  ores  of  Arkansas  compared  with  those  of  other  coun- 
tries   I56 

showing  the  value  of  the  ores  of  manganese 166 

showing  the  amount  of  silver  in  the  lead  ores  of  northern  Arkansas 160 

showing  the  comparative  richness  of  the  iron  ores • 173 

Table-land  of  south-western  part  of  Van  Buren  county * 72,  74 

Talc  and  allied  minerals  in  Conway  county 235 

Talc  in  Pulaski  county 239 

Teeth  of  fishes,  in  shale • •  *^J 

Terebratula  plano-sulcata 1~1 

planum-bona    121 

Terra  Sienna,  in  Izard  county 44 

Trilobltcs  in  sandstone 218 

Tufa,  calcareous,  formation  of,  on  Mammoth  spring 61 


INDEX.  255 

PAGB. 

VAN  BUREN  county 72 

black  marble  of 75 

Black  sulphur  spring  of    73 

character  of  up-land  soil  of , 74 

freestone  of   75 

Eye  spring  of 73 

Puce  spring  of 73 

occurrence  of  carbonate  of  iron  in 72 

reported  occurrence  of  coal  in 75 

Sugar  loaf  mountain  of 72 

table-land  of 72,  74 

Veins  and  deposits  of  lead,  zinc,  and  manganese  ores,  where  situated 138 

Vermicular  impressions  in  sandstone ' 70 

WAD,  analysis  of 163 

Warton's  creek,  section  of  strata  on,  Madison  county 101 

Washington  county 110 

character  of  the  red  up-land  soil  of 118 

chalybeate  spring  in 119 

caves  in 116,  120 

brown  freestone  in 120 

Eisenkalkstein   in 118 

good  prospects  for  boring  for  brine  in 119 

gypsiferous  shale  of 113 

occurrence  of  coal  in 113,  115,  118,  120 

"of  iron  ore  in 112,  116,  120 

of  lead  ore  in 122 

of  selenite  in 113 

reported  occurrence  of  a  nitre  cave  in HO 

probable  occurrence  of  lead  ore  in HI 

origin  of  mounds  in 112 

pyritifcrous  limestone  of 116,  118 

section  of  strata  of  subcarboniferous  groups  of Ill 

near  Fayetteville,  in 114 

on  Middle  fork  of  White  river  in 117 

on  East  fork  of  Illinois  river  in 119 

on  Cane  hill  in 120 

on  College  hill  in 121 

in  Vineyard  township  in 122 

springs  of 110 

sulphur  springs  of 117,  119 

Water  of  White  river,  analysis  of 181 

St.  Francis  river,  analysis  of 23,  180 

Kimble's  creek,  analysis  of 102 

Black  sulphur  spring,  analysis  of 73 

Puce  spring,  analysis  of - 73 

Water  from  a  sulphur  spring  in  Washington  county,  analysis  of 117,  H9 

well  on  A.  L.  Stewart's  farm,  analysis  of 180 

on  Wm.  Lane's  farm,  analysis  of ^.  180 

on  Thos.  McElrath's  farm,  analysis  of 181 

on  Mr.  Cobb's  farm,  analysis  of 181 

on  John  Robinson's  farm,  analysis  of 215 

a  spring  near  J.  Young's  farm,  analysis  of 181 

the  North  fork  of  White  river,  analysis  of 181 

the  Mammoth  spring,  analysis  of 182 

a  spring  in  Crawford  county,  analysis  of 228 

a  chalybeate  spring  in  Franklin  crunty,  analysis  of 228 

the  State  salt  spring,  in  Franklin  county,  analysis  of 229 

a  mineral  spring  on  Spirit  creek,  Franklin  county,  analysis  of 229 

the  town  spring  at  Springfield,  analysis  of 236 

the  Newton  spring,  Pulaski  county 241 

Searcy  sulphur,  analysis  of 71 

Pennywit  sulphur,  analysis  of 126 

Well  of  J.  P.  Harris,  Greene  county 26,  27 

James  Lamb,         "         "        27 

Wm.  Lane,            "         "        29 

J.  Robinson,  Jackson     "         215 

Wells,  sunk  in  L'Anguille  bottom 31 

White  county 67 

Bee  rock  of 67 


250 


PAGE. 
White  county,  carboniferous  system  of  ................................................       68 

character  of  red  soil  of  ...................................................     69 

occurrence  of  coal   in  ...................................................     69 

iron  ore  in  ................................................  68,  69 

reported  occurrence  of  gold  in  ............................................     68 

sandstones  of  ......................................................  68,  69,  70 

Searcy  sulphur  water  of  .................................................  .  .     71 

White  river,  water  of  .................................................................     33 

White  river,  water  of,  analysis  of  ......................................................   181 

Wiley's  Cove,  section  of  strata  in,  of  Searcy  county  .....................................     77 

Wood's  mine,  analysis  of  the  ore  from  ..................................  ...............  152 

ZINC,  carbonate  of,  in  dolomite  .......................  •  ................................  177 

(See  smithsonite.) 
process  of  manufacturing,  from  its  ores  ........................................  156,  158 

ore,  occurrence  of,  in  Independence  county  ......................................  222 

Lawrence  county  .....................................  63,  210-212 

Marion  county  ............................................  53,  55 

Ores,  general  remarks  on  the  .....................................................  136 

method  pursued  in  the  analysis  of  the  .......................................   186 

of  Independence  county,  analyses  of  the  ......................................   183 

of  Lawrence  "  "       "     "    ..............................  147-151,184 

of  Marion  "  "       "     "     ..................................  151-15S 

of  Arkansas,  table  showing  the  comparative  richness  of  the  .....................  156 


ERRATA 


p.    24,  line    8  from  bottom,  read  ferruginous  for  ferrugilious. 

p.    42,  "14  "  top,  "    sandstone       "    standstone. 

p.  148,  "    17  "       "  "  ferruginous  "    feruginous. 

p.  219,  "      2  "       "  "    Sulphur  Rock  for  Sulpher  rock. 

P997  «     on  cc         it  ) 
'  gj»  «    Upidodcndron    "    hpidodendron. 

p.  258,  "    19  "  ) 


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